Old Wounds
by laloga
Summary: The Wars are tearing the galaxy apart; no one can escape. Obi-Wan teams up with a Jedi from his past to stop the Separatists from acquiring a volatile, deadly substance.  However, some things are not as cut and dry as he would prefer. OC/Obi-Wan
1. Chapter One

_Author's Note: _Old Wounds_ is the first bit of fanfic I wrote after a very long hiatus. It was inspired after watching _The Clone Wars _TV show, though it features my main OC, Kalinda Halcyon, whom I created in the late 1990s after watching _The Phantom Menace_ when I was a teenager. _

_As of March, 2012, this fic has been somewhat re-vamped to accommodate the dual timelines that I've established for Kalinda; more information about the timelines, (and my other projects!), can be found on my profile page._

_Please note that I don't own Star Wars, Obi-Wan, Ventress, or any of the other recognizable characters. Additionally, I make no money off of this venture. _

_Reviews feed the muse, and I appreciate anyone who takes the time to leave feedback. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy. :)_

_Also, this fic takes place approximately one year into the Clone Wars._

* * *

**Old Wounds**

**Chapter One**

Closing her eyes, the Jedi concentrated once more, determined to see the experiment a success this time. Her lightsaber lifted in preparation for the onslaught, her focus was sharp and clear. She listened for the tell-tale hiss of the droid and listened to the Force, letting it guide her next move.

_There! _

The droid fired, and she swung her saber, deliberately missed, and felt the dull sting of the bolt on her wrist. She smiled in satisfaction, and commanded the droid to cease fire. The glowing yellow blade disappeared into the hilt as she examined her wrist carefully. There was only a slight reddening of the skin, as if she'd scraped it against a wall, and not a severe burn that should have come from a practice droid set at maximum power. _It worked, _she thought, gazing at her wrist. _It really worked._

"I guess hours and hours of study and practice do pay off, in the end," she said quietly to herself. "Reset," she commanded the small, spherical droid, who continued to hover obediently. "Full power, random attack pattern, fire at will."

Immediately the bolts came, and the Jedi managed to block a few, gathering the Force around her as she did so. Finally, when she felt that familiar twinge in her left knee and realized that she was tiring, she brought up the shield once more. Again, it worked like a charm. When she missed several of the bolts – as she inevitably did – there was only a minor bit of discomfort, but nothing as serious as it should have been from the practice droid. She repeated this process for another two hours, until she felt more certain of her ability to call up the shield at will. Finally, she signaled the end of the session, and returned the droid to its station in the practice rooms at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant.

Kalinda made her way back to her quarters, her mind whirring the entire time. Even though she was covered in sweat from the exercise, she pulled out her datapad and recorded her notes for the session, her voice evenly recalling the latest development of her studies.

"The information that I've been studying in the Archives has proven to be correct," she began. "Today I managed to create and maintain a viable shield for myself against a practice droid set on maximum power. While I did sustain a few hits, they are hardly anything serious, and have left no visible marks on my person."

She paused for a moment before continuing, her voice more reflective than before. "While I realize that this technique is by no means a replacement to combat, I genuinely feel that it will help even the odds, so to speak, and give me a bit of an advantage in an area where I am sorely lacking. Once I conclude some more tests, I will go to the Council with my findings, and consult with them on how to proceed disseminating this knowledge throughout the Order. It is my hope that this technique will soon become widespread among the Jedi, and help us win this seemingly endless war against the Separatist army."

As she finished speaking, a quiet beep from her comm situated in the wall alerted her that she had an incoming message. "Kalinda," the deep voice of Master Windu sounded from the panel. "Please come to the Council chambers at once."

With a sigh, Kali rose and exited her room, making her way to the chambers that lay on the top floor of the Jedi temple. As much as she often found herself at odds with the Council members, Kali never grew tired of visiting this particular room. It was made of warm marble that seemed to resonate a feeling of peace the moment she entered, and the vast windows looked out onto the harried planet of Coruscant, which provided a constant influx of observation.

Presently, only Master Windu and Master Yoda were in the chambers, seated and speaking quietly. Kali stood patiently while they finished their conversation, her mind dwelling again on her session with the shield.

Finally, the tall, dark-skinned Master turned to her. "As you know, Kalinda, the war is not going as well as we had hoped. Our numbers are stretched thin, and those that are in the field are desperate for reinforcements."

_I know all of this, _she thought. _Why is he telling me what anyone could see on the news? _"Yes, Master Windu," she said. "I'm aware of the situation."

Windu glanced at Yoda, who's large eyes were fixed calmly on Kali, before he continued. "Good. And, though you have not proven to be the most proficient fighter, we feel that you can be of assistance in a certain area of concern to us."

"With all do respect, Master," she replied after a moment. "I've requested a field assignment several times prior to this...what has changed?"

"Difficult, this situation is," Yoda answered. "The Jedi who is there now, handle it alone, he cannot. Requested help, he has."

Kali tamped down a flash of irritation before she spoke, knowing full well that both Masters would be able to pick up on her emotions, and, for argument's sake, she didn't need any further questioning. "What are the specifics of the mission?"

"You are to report to the Basrah system, to assist General Kenobi in the eradication of a facility producing a dangerous element that could be used in chemical warfare. He and his troops have been engaged in multiple skirmishes in the region, preventing them from ascertaining the true nature of the facility. Although our agents have managed to gather a bit of intelligence on the chemical, we still don't know exactly what it's capable of. In any case, Kenobi has requested help. Your transport leaves in two hours, and Master Nu will take over your classes in the meantime. I'll send the full report to you when we're finished here."

She was unprepared for the way that her heart would beat faster at the mention of Obi-Wan's name, and she took a breath to calm herself before bowing to the two Jedi. "As you wish, Masters. I'll make my preparations at once." With that, she slipped out of the room as quickly as she could without looking suspicious.

* * *

The transport was an older model, equipped with only the most basic necessities, evidence of the fact that every available Republic ship and pilot were being utilized in the wars. Kalinda checked in with the Captain, a Twi'lek female who was strangely quiescent for her kind. Master Windu's orders had said that he would advise Obi-Wan of her approach, and that there was no need for her to contact him just yet.

_They must be desperate, _she thought as she watched the streaking stars through the porthole as the ship jumped to lightspeed. _I know that Mace would rather chew his own arm off then send me on a combat mission. _ _Still, _she thought with a smile. _It will be good to see him again, despite everything..._

It was not one of her happiest memories, the last time that she had seen or spoken to Obi-Wan almost two years ago, just prior to the start of the Clone Wars. Even now, the memory brought a certain tightness to her throat; he'd been very adamant about not pursuing their romantic involvement any further, as he had done at one time or another in the past. This time, however, his resolve had been firm.

_"__But Ben, it's _not_ wrong to __love__. It's not against any code to love another being." She had used her nickname for him, hoping to emphasize their connection, the past that they both shared._

_"__Not this kind of love, Kali," he had countered, stepping away from her. "It's too much; it will consume us both if we don't put a stop to it. And I feel that dark times are coming...we have to use our energy for other purposes. Neither of us can afford distraction."__  
_  
_"__But that's exactly it," she argued. "We can all feel it...the darkness coming. Now, more than ever, we need to keep our bonds strong." _

_She approached him again, her eyes fixed on his. "That's how it used to be, in the early days of the order. Jedi were not forbidden to love one another, as long as it didn't interfere with their purpose, with their path." Her face was close to his, even though he had to lean down to keep their eyes level. "Denying your feelings is the worst thing that you can do, Ben."__  
_  
_He faltered. She could see it in his eyes, as they looked at her with plain and naked longing, a mirror of her own thoughts. _Whatever else_, __she had thought in that moment, _I know he loves me. I know it._  
_  
_But it had not been enough. At that moment, his Padawan, Anakin, had called him away, and Obi-Wan left without another word. Kali had felt his relief at being called, and sorrow engulfed her._

Lost in memory, her eyes scanned her datapad without really seeing it. Though the pain of his rejection had faded, it never vanished entirely, and Kali had immersed herself in her research, hoping that something from the past would help the Jedi secure the future.

That was, ultimately, what led her to the discovery of the shield. Initially, before her experiments, she was convinced that it was bunk; the idea of a personal shield was something that would be invaluable to the Jedi, and the repercussions of such a discovery were immeasurable. It was too good to be true, therefore she was reluctant to trust it. However, the potential was so great, the opportunity to stop the losses of Republic forces was too tempting _not _to explore. The more she learned, the more hopeful she became. In theory, if the Jedi was strong enough, she could protect an entire squadron of troops, not to mention a ship or even a fleet of ships...

Kali shook her head to clear her thoughts. _Until I work with it some more, I shouldn't give in to idle speculations._

* * *

"Master Windu, it's good to hear from you," Obi-Wan said, his voice hoarse. "I hope you have news of the reinforcements?"

The image of the Master Jedi flickered blue before Obi-Wan's eyes, but he thought that he could make out a trace of irritation in the Master's expression. "Indeed. As you know our resources are few at the moment, but we are sending another Jedi to assist you. She should be there by daybreak. I realize that the window of opportunity is growing smaller, so I recommend that you strike tomorrow evening."

Obi-Wan glanced at the fading sunset and sighed. He had hoped that it would be sooner, but the trip from Coruscant was not a short one. "Very good. Who is coming, if I may ask?"

Mace Windu was silent for a moment, and Obi-Wan felt a flash of annoyance. His troops were tired, he was tired, and in little mood for Mace's reticence. "It's not another youngling, is it?" he finally asked, thinking of Padawan Ahsoka whom the council had sprung on Anakin several months ago.

The Jedi Master shook his head. "No. We dispatched one of the instructors at the Temple: Kalinda Halcyon." Even through the patchy communication he managed to give Obi-Wan a stern look. "I need your assurance that things will proceed smoothly between the two of you. She was not my first choice for this mission, but we had few other options."

Obi-Wan nodded. "You don't need to concern yourself, Master," he said. "There won't be  
any...issues."

"Good." Mace Windu nodded once. "Report when you have any news. May the Force be with you."

"And you, Master."

The image flickered out, and Obi-Wan rubbed his temple with a smudged and sooty hand. Memories he'd tried to bury rose unbidden to his mind.

_She had always fascinated him, the strange, dark-eyed girl who seemed to know him better than he knew himself. Ever since the first moment he saw her, when he was six and she five, it was difficult to ever get her completely out of his thoughts. Often, throughout the normal course of a day, he found himself wondering what she would say or do in a particular situation. Throughout the years, their paths had often differed, but they always managed to find each other in the end._

_Until that day, almost two years ago._

_He could still see it clearly; the desire in her eyes, the tremor in her voice that betrayed how much he was hurting her by trying to place a wedge between them. Yet, images of Tahl and Qui-gon haunted him. He knew that if he allowed himself to love her, if he opened those floodgates the onslaught would wash them both away...and now they were being brought together, again. He wondered if he would ever be sure that he made the right decision, and if there would ever be a time when his thoughts did not circle back to her._

"Everything okay, General?" Cody, the leader of his squadron approached, looking apprehensive.

"Wonderful," Obi-Wan replied with a sigh. "Another Jedi is coming to assist us, from the Temple on Coruscant."

"Well, that's good news," Cody said, though his tone was wary as he judged Obi-Wan's expression. "If I may, sir, you don't seem particularly pleased."

Obi-Wan considered for a moment, then shook his head. "I'm a bit tired, is all."

"Well, things are quiet for now," the clone said. "Maybe you should rest a while. I reckon it'll take him a number of hours to get here, anyway."

"Her."

"Sir?"

Obi-Wan raised his eyebrow at the trooper. "The Jedi is a female, Cody."

"Of course, sir. My apologies: we clones tend to think all in masculine, you know? I guess it comes from being around your brothers all the time. You know her, then?"

"I do," Obi-Wan replied, heading for his bed. "I do indeed."


	2. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

The Twi'lek was reluctant to land her ship in a war zone, so Kalinda had to inform the base when she was within range. She felt a stab of apprehension just before doing so, but after sending a brief transmission to Basrah, she learned that the pilot's reticence had been anticipated, and that someone was on his way to pick her up.

After she went to the helm to alert the captain, the Twi'lek nodded, skimming her grass-colored hand over the controls before rising to stand by the open airlock, so that she and Kalinda were face-to-face. "When will your clone be here?"

"Momentarily," Kali answered. The captain leaned against the doorway, curiosity evident in her posture. Kalinda looked at her. "Do you have another question, Captain?"

"Just seems a little strange," the green-skinned woman replied. "Don't they send Jedi with their own ships? Why did you have to ride in my dingy little freighter?"

"The Republic's resources are not what they once were," Kali answered. "Times are hard right now. The Jedi council did not have any ships to spare at this particular moment." She raised her brows. "I was led to believe that you would be handsomely compensated for the dangerous nature of this mission..."

Immediately the Twi'lek shook her head, her _lekku _bobbing with the motion. "No, no, Master Jedi...I meant nothing of the kind...It just seemed strange, that's all." She smiled, her rows of pointed teeth somewhat unsettling, but Kali returned the expression.

"It's okay," she said with a shrug. "I suppose not everyone is involved with the war on such a daily basis as the Jedi are."

"All I've seen are the reports on the HoloNet," the captain replied. "Those nameless, faceless soldiers are doing all the work, and the Jedi, too. Haven't had a chance to talk to anyone who's really seen any fighting." Before Kali could respond, the comm blinked and the captain glanced outside as the transport vessel approached. "Oh good, your taxi's here."

* * *

Kalinda tamped down the anxiety that was welling inside her as she watched the ground approaching during their descent. _He most likely doesn't want you here, _she reminded herself. _He'll probably be formal and polite, to let you know that nothing's changed. Don't expect anything else, or you'll just get hurt...again. _

She pushed thoughts of Obi-Wan from her mind to glance at the trooper holding her bag. He had been rather insistent about it; Kali wasn't sure if it was chivalry or in deference to her status. _Or, he could see the limp, _she thought was faint now, the slight imbalance in her gait, left over from a childhood injury, but sometimes it bothered her, and sometimes others noticed.

In any case, it had been extremely unsettling to hear herself referred to as "General" for the first time-a rank automatically assigned to all Jedi Knights by their troops.

"General?"

The voice was hesitant, and she realized with a start that they'd landed. She smiled at him and nodded. "Thank you...CC-3077, was it?"

He nodded as well, though the motion was brisk, as if he never wasted a movement. "I go by 'Stonewall,' too, sir. If you don't mind, that is."

"Stonewall. I suppose there must be a story behind that nickname." She looked over his shoulder to see Obi-Wan approaching, a stern look on his face. "You'll have to tell me another time. Thank you for taking my bag, but I think I have it from here." Another nod to the clone and he handed over the bag, and disappeared with the others.

Obi-Wan was shading his eyes from the morning sun, so her view of his face was distorted for a moment until they were about ten meters from each other. She swallowed thickly as he met her in the midst of the camp. _Beard? He has a beard now?_

"Kalinda." His tone was clipped and formal.

"Obi-Wan," she said with a nod, trying not to stare too obviously at his facial hair.

"Thank you for coming so quickly," he motioned her towards the tent that served as a makeshift war room, and they began to walk side by side. "I know that your students will miss you."

"Jocasta will take care of them," she replied, hefting her bag. "And when Mace Windu gives you an order, it's not up for negotiation."

He glanced at her bag, leaving the question unasked. Generally, Jedi brought few items with them on missions, and Kalinda knew that he would be curious as to its contents. _Nothing that has anything to do with you, _she thought pointedly, and ignored his glance as they made their way into the tent.

There were two clones waiting for them, wearing the distinctive armor that indicated a higher ranking officer. Obi-Wan introduced them as Commander Cody and Captain Lefty, and they began to go over the plan to catch her up.

"We have intel that the Separatists are manufacturing a substance known as 'grift,'" the captain began. "Due to its destructive properties, it's considered sort of the opposite of bacta, and this is the place where they refine it. All droids, of course, as it's too volatile to be moved around by life-forms...though some of the droids seem about as clumsy as a baby rancor, if you ask me-"

"Nobody did, Lefty," Cody interrupted, and Kali tried not to smile at his exasperated tone. Admittedly, it had been a little strange at first to see two identical-looking men, especially knowing that she was surrounded by an entire unit of them, but through the Force she could clearly discern each man's individual presence.

Lefty gave a sheepish grin and pulled up an image of the station, casting a blue glow on their faces as it rotated. "Yessir. Anyway, here's the refinery. That's where they bring the stuff in and out; and inside this area is where they actually refine it. From our intel, we know that the next shipment of the stuff is due to go out sometime in the next few days."

"Since the substance is so volatile," Cody added with a nod. "It's difficult to figure out a way to destroy the place without wrecking the entire area. If it was simply a matter of blowing it up, we could do that from atmo."

Kali was silent for a moment, considering. Finally, she looked at Obi-Wan, who was watching her intently. "What are your thoughts?"

"I think that the Force could help prevent the brunt of the destruction, were we to fire on the refinery," he said, lifting his hand to his beard in contemplation in a way that reminded her of his old master, Qui-Gon Jinn. "But it's not something that I can do alone."

"Do we happen to have any of this 'grift' on hand? I'd like to get an idea of what we're working with."

The clones looked at each other, then at Obi-Wan, who frowned. "No. We hadn't thought it necessary, nor have we had the opportunity."

"But someone went in there, to look around," she persisted. "You didn't get a sample?"

"As I said," Obi-Wan's tone was sharp. "We have had other matters to concern ourselves with, Kalinda."

She pursed her lips. "Well, in that case, what makes you think that our use of the Force could prevent the mass destruction?"

"I've encountered grift on other worlds," Cody replied. "And I've seen the Jedi work to prevent it from causing too much harm."

Kalinda looked at Obi-Wan again. "Do you have those reports on hand? Who was it?"

"Thank you, Cody, Lefty," Obi-Wan said suddenly. "I'll let you know when we've concluded this discussion." He waited until they exited the tent before he turned to her, annoyance written plainly across his features. "We don't have time to sift through paperwork, Kalinda. This needs to be taken care of now. It's taken far too long, already."

Her expression softened. "I know, Obi-Wan. That's why I'm here."

His expression changed to the chiding one she knew so well, but there was no warmth in his voice. "It may not seem like it, but my men are starting to flounder; they weren't made for inaction of this kind...it's stressful and draining, and we've been living under the constant threat of exposure for weeks, now. If you'd spent any time in the field, you would understand."

"I've asked for a mission, many times," she replied, a faint tremor in her words. "The Council hasn't seen fit to let me spend time in 'the field' with my fellow Knights. That's why I understand the absolute desperation of this mission...I'm the very last person that Master Windu wanted." She shook her head. "It's okay. I wouldn't want me here, either."

He was quiet for a moment, stroking his beard thoughtfully; when he spoke again, his voice had softened. "I didn't realize that, Kalinda. I thought you requested your duties at the Temple."

"Don't get me wrong," she added, running a hand across her hair, noting with irritation that her braid was coming undone again. "I love teaching; and you know I love to bury my nose in the Archives. But it feels wrong to sit in safety while everyone else is out there fighting and...dying." Her dark eyes met his, and he looked back at the holographic projection.

"Don't concern yourself with those in the field," he said, gazing at without seeing the hologram. "We're perfectly able to take care of ourselves."

"Forgive me if the thought of you being murdered at the hands of General Grievous makes me apprehensive," she replied in a wry voice. "I can't change how _I _feel about our situation, even if you can."

He gave a bitter chuckle. "I wondered if you would bring all that up again."

Her jaw tightened. _Sometimes you're so damn arrogant...it's a wonder no one has sliced your head off yet. _"Ben."

"Obi-Wan," he corrected, his eyes on hers. "Just call me Obi-Wan."

"As you like," she said, balling her fists and tucking them within the folds of her robe. "As you yourself pointed out, time is something we can't afford to waste, especially with so much at stake. So many have lost their lives, and to what end?"

"We're working to restore order and peace in the galaxy," he replied. "I believe that to be an important goal."

"As do I," she said. "But..." She paused, and seemed to make a decision. "I can't help how I feel. I can't help that I still feel the way I do about you, Ben."

"Obi-Wan," he said, though his voice was less certain. "Please don't do this, again, Kalinda. I can't...just stop."

"Very well," she replied after a moment, moving to the opposite side of the glowing image so he wouldn't see the tears threatening to form in her eyes. "Now that's out of the way...I'm here. You're here. Can we please just figure this out so I can leave? I think Master Windu might want to send me to give a Sarlacc a good teeth cleaning after this." _Might be more pleasant._

He sighed, and rubbed his temple with his hands. "Fine." They stood in silence for a few moments as he continued to massage his temple.

Once she had collected herself, Kalinda stepped back over to him. "Headache?"

"It's been difficult here. The skirmishes are disjointed and sporadic, though they've eased a bit, of late."

"It seems quiet enough."

"That's the problem," he replied, lowering his hands and glancing towards the entrance to the tent, beyond which she could see white-armored figures moving about. "It's making the men edgy, waiting around like this. Cody had to break up three fights this week."

Her forehead creased. "I thought they never fought each other?"

"Usually not," he said. "But this mission has everyone off-balance." He looked back at her, bathed in the glow of the projection. "I think the files are in my tent. If I recall, Kit Fisto was one of the Jedi who dealt with the grift when we first encountered it."

Her eyes lit up at the mention of her old friend's name. "Will you show me? I imagine we can't do much until nightfall, anyway."


	3. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

For a little while, at least, it was not unpleasant. _Perhaps, _she thought, _things aren't as hopeless as I imagined_. The Jedi ensconced themselves in Obi-Wan's quarters to study the information that he'd been given, and they spent the better part of the morning acquainting themselves with the strange substance known as "grift." Kit had actually managed to contain a small sample that was sent to the labs on Coruscant to be analyzed, but, unfortunately, they did not yet have a definitive explanation of the volatile substance.

"It's strange," Kalinda said, setting down the last of the datapads.

"What?" Obi-Wan's had read through all of the research, and he was presently studying the reports from the clone's initial infiltration.

"From what I can tell, Captain Lefty's description of grift is the most accurate one of all." Obi-Wan gave her a blank look and she continued. "Whereas bacta is a healing substance, grift is a destructive one. These reports indicate that both compounds are derived from the same substance, yet they have completely opposite natures. For instance, bacta can be mixed with a number of other compounds to strengthen its healing abilities, yet grift looses all potency when combined with other elements of a similar nature."

Obi-Wan shut down the holograph. "Something that we have on hand, by any chance?"

She sighed. "Unfortunately not. Unless you're packing some chromium diathelade in that beard of yours."

He raised his hand to his face without thinking. "You don't like it?"

"I just never pictured you with a beard," she answered, setting the datapad down and stretching her arms over her head. "It makes you look older, if that's what you were going for." She raised her eyebrow. "Qui-Gon would be proud."

Obi-Wan shrugged, but she caught a hint of a smile on his face. "I felt that it was time for a change. It's certainly less trouble than the alternative. Do you think it works? Anakin's given me no end of grief for it."

Kali studied him, her head tilting to one side. "I suppose it will grow on me, eventually." She smiled at him, tentatively. They regarded each other for a few minutes, until Obi-Wan looked away, picking up a datapad and proceeding to study it intently.

"Unfortunately, we aren't much better off than when we started, though we are marginally more informed."

"_All knowledge is worth having,_" Kali replied, quoting an old Jedi axiom. "The lab was only able to figure out a handful of compounds that neutralize the grift - we might be able to discover more, with a little time."

"No," Obi-Wan said firmly. "We need to take action. This mission has already taken too long. I fear that our camp will be discovered if we stay here much longer." I'll get with Cody now, and we'll strike tonight, one way or another."

Kalinda nodded absently. "Very well. I'll go through the list again, see if there's anything that I can come up with to neutralize the grift, so your boys can blast it into oblivion." She raised her eyebrows at his surprised gaze. "What? I know that's what they're itching for."

"No, not that," he said. "They're not just 'my boys,' Kalinda. They're yours now, too."

She gave a light laugh that she hoped concealed the agitation she felt at the idea. "That reminds me," she said after a moment, glancing up at him. "The trooper who escorted me here..."

"Lieutenant Stonewall?" Obi-Wan asked, sitting up a little. She nodded and he studied her with a faint frown. "Did something happen? He's one of Cody's best men..."

Kali shook her head and shrugged. "No, he was fine...maybe a little formal for my taste, but from what I can tell, that's the norm for them, isn't it? I could be wrong. He's the first clone I've met, after all."

Obi-Wan's hand was in his beard again, and his eyes flicked to the entrance of the tent; beyond, they could both see the white-armored men moving about the campsite. After a moment he gave her a wry look, lifting his brows and crinkling his eyes at her in an almost-smile. "All I know for certain is that they never fail to surprise me, Kali. I suppose you'll experience that, soon enough."

* * *

Asajj Ventress studied the video of the clones infiltrating the grift station, noting their patterns and formations. Clones were, generally, rather predictable in the early stages of their lives; only as they aged and gained more experience did they deviate from the usual routines. By the movements of these clones, Ventress could see that they were not new to the games of war. She smiled, her tattooed visage a deathly pall in the holographic light. Confidence simmered within her mind; she was sure that at least one Jedi would accompany the clones on their inevitable mission. The grift was too great a threat potential for the Jedi to just let it go. Dooku was right to send her here.

_They will probably try tonight, or the next night, _she thought. She turned to the battle droid that was awaiting her orders. "Pull your troops back from the perimeter, concentrate on the inner section for the moment. I want them to be able to stumble their way in here, at first. As soon as they reach the core, cut off their exit."

The droid quivered, but nodded perfunctorily. "Roger roger."

* * *

" I have a bad feeling about this plan of ours. I think I should go with you."

"Well, I think it's best that you remain here and offer any backup, should we need it."

"Master Windu didn't send me all the way out here to hang out in the camp, Obi-Wan."

The bearded Jedi shook his head. "Exactly. You are here to provide relief if I, or we, need it." His eyes met hers, and she flushed, knowing the truth behind his objections.

"My skills have much improved since you saw me last," she said quietly. "It's not like it used to be." Obi-Wan didn't look convinced. "I've been working on something, lately," she added. "Something that will come in very useful, if I can get it right."

Obi-Wan looked intrigued for a moment, then shook his head. "Kalinda, I hate to pull rank like this-"

"Since when?"

"But I'm giving you an order. Stay here until I need you." He looked at her. _Please, _he added silently.

She frowned, but nodded. "As you wish, Master Kenobi."

Kalinda watched as Obi-Wan and the dozen soldiers made their way out of the camp, her arms crossed in front of her chest. One of the ones who'd stayed behind stood next to her-Stonewall, if her memory served.

"It's no fun being left behind, sir," he said. "I hate sitting around and waiting, but sometimes, that's what needs to be done. After all, if they need help, we'll be the ones to give it to them."

Kali regarded the trooper. "I know. It doesn't make it any easier, though."

Somehow, the trooper managed to look confused despite the fact that his face was obscured by his helmet. Kali sighed. "What is it?"

"Nothing, sir."

"Stonewall," she said, spreading her arms. "I give you free rein to speak your mind, if that helps."

The soldier was silent for a moment before responding. "It's just that...well, sir...I thought that the Jedi were all so good at waiting and being patient. That's what General Kenobi's been saying."

Kalinda smiled. "I can't speak for anyone but myself. It's true that we are taught to be mindful, to have patience and compassion above all other traits...still, it doesn't make waiting around for your friends any easier." She glanced around at the others, who were cleaning weapons or checking equipment. "What do you fellows do in your down-time besides chores?"

Stonewall shrugged. "What else is there for us to do, sir?"

* * *

Obi-Wan and Cody crept towards the massive facility with the utmost care. The Jedi's senses were stretched out as far as he could reach. Kali's feeling had not been isolated, and he, too, felt that something was awry with this mission.

"It's too quiet," Cody said quietly, echoing Obi-Wan's thoughts. "We should have come across the perimeter guards by now."

"Yes," Obi-Wan replied. "But we have little time for debate. We can't turn back now."

"Very good, sir," Cody answered.

The squad made their way towards the rear hangar doors, where they'd ascertained there was the least chance of being discovered. Cody signaled to the troops, who broke out into formation to infiltrate the building. He glanced at Obi-Wan, waiting for the signal. The Jedi nodded, and the attack began.

* * *

Kali was sitting with Lefty and Stonewall, attempting to teach them Trillium, when the explosion sounded. Instantly, everyone was on their feet, and Kali's saber glowed brilliant yellow in the darkness. She tried to reach Obi-Wan on her comm, but all she could make out was static.

"That came from the facility," Stonewall said, indicating the direction. "General, your orders?"

Kali took a deep breath, and reached inside herself, to the Force, to Obi-Wan. _What is happening?_

_Ventress. Trap. _His thoughts were garbled, but she understood all the same, and felt her blood run a little colder at the mention of the evil Force-user. She turned to the clones, who were obediently waiting for her command. "It was a trap. Asajj Ventress is here, and our men are on the run. They need our help."

Immediately, the soldiers went for their speeders. Kalinda motioned for Stonewall to follow her, and he did so, and they led the pack out to the facility. It was only a matter of minutes before they reached the facility, but to Kali, it felt like a lifetime. She was doing her best to hold onto a tenuous connection with Obi-Wan, trying to lend him some strength for his battle with Ventress. She saw a flash of red to the left and pointed, feeling the speeder turn as Stonewall followed her direction. They did not see anything until they crested the hill, and saw the extent of the damage.

Clone bodies littered the ground, but Kali didn't have the opportunity to give them a second look. All of her attention was focused on the battle taking place before her between Obi-Wan and Ventress. She'd heard stories of the bald woman's furious rage, seen vids of her in action, but none of it had prepared the Jedi for the ferocious, raw anger that seethed from the woman's every movement. Kalinda was vaguely aware of the droids and clones engaging each other, and she ordered Stonewall to help his brothers. Without waiting for him to slow down, she leaped off the speeder and used the Force to drop herself between Ventress and Obi-Wan, hoping the element of surprise would give her a momentary advantage.

It did, for a moment, anyway. Ventress looked briefly confused at the second Jedi's arrival, but recovered almost instantly, lunging at Kalinda. Kali managed to avoid the blow, and another, and then Obi-Wan was beside her, and the twin blue blades clashed with the twin red in a miasma of light and color.

Kalinda knew at once that she was no match for this warrior, but too much of her concentration was being taken up in battle to draw up her shield. Panic seized her, but she tamped it down. _Trust the Force, _she told herself. _An opportunity will arise. _As if on cue, Ventress slid away from Obi-Wan's guard and aimed a slice at Kali's heart. Automatically, she threw up her shield, which caused the angry red blade to bounce off of her harmlessly, sending up only a shower of crimson sparks.

_That was an interesting reaction, _she thought. A snarl of confusion escaped the darksider's throat and she sent a bolt of Force energy towards the female Jedi, knocking her backwards about twenty yards. As Kali scrabbled to her feet and began to race back, she saw with horror that Ventress had managed to pin Obi-Wan to the ground, his lightsaber out of his sight-line.

_No you don't, _she thought, drawing the Force around her. She sent every bit of energy that she could muster towards the darkside user, while at the same time drawing up a shield that she managed to send to Obi-Wan. Just as Ventress' blade hit his throat, another burst of red sparks erupted from the point of contact, and Kali's Force push sent her sprawling backwards at least thirty yards. It was more than enough. Obi-Wan leaped to his feet, and called his lightsaber back to his hand, then sprang after Ventress, who had suffered a blow from Obi-Wan's attack, and seemed to be injured.

However, before they could reach her, she pressed a button on her wrist, and at least a dozen more attack droids appeared to draw off the attack. Simultaneously, a sleek, single person fighter started its engines and hovered into view, allowing the woman to leap aboard. As Ventress fled, Obi-Wan and Kali were forced to help the clones finish off the droids, a struggle that lasted almost until dawn.

* * *

"We lost seven men, sirs," Cody's voice was quiet as he gave his report. "Including Lefty. But the facility is secure."

"Good work, Cody." Obi-Wan placed a hand on the commander's shoulder, sending him a bit of calming energy. "I'll inform the council now, and we can figure out our next move." He nodded to Kalinda, who was kneeling next to the body of one of the troopers. She rose, and followed him back to the tent that housed their communicator. "What were you doing?" he asked, after a moment.

She looked back at the clones, who were starting to clean up their colleagues' remains. "Nothing much. Just saying a few words. I don't know if they have any rituals for such things."

"In their own way," he answered. They walked in silence for a moment, watching as the golden light of dawn began to make its way across the area. Kalinda sensed that he wanted to say something, but he remained silent, and she was too tired to push him. When they reached the tent, Obi-Wan activated the comm, and Master Yoda and Master Windu appeared almost instantly, as if they too had been up all night waiting.

"General Kenobi," Mace said. "Kalinda. What news do you bring?"

"The facility is secure, Master," Obi-Wan answered. "However, Asajj Ventress was present, which I did not realize. We lost seven troops, and she escaped."

"Good news it is, that the grift is in our hands," Yoda remarked. "Troubling, Ventress' appearance is, however. Finds herself where you are, Obi-Wan, she does."

"What shall we do about the grift, Masters?" Obi-Wan asked.

"If you don't mind," Kalinda spoke up. "I think I have a solution, provided you can send us some compounds. The grift can be neutralized, and rendered ineffective, we just don't have the proper chemicals here. I can provide you with a list."

"I see you've been busy, my old Padawan," Mace said, eying Kalinda carefully.

_Amazing, _she thought, _I can feel his disapproval, even through a hologram. _

"Actually, it was thanks to Kalinda's efforts that any of us survived," Obi-Wan replied. "Ventress knocked out our communications almost immediately-without the Force, I would have been unable to call her, or anyone. And she was instrumental in the battle with Ventress." He looked at Kalinda, a hint of a smile in his voice. "You were right, your skills have improved."

She smiled in return. "Happy to help, General."

Master Windu cleared his throat. "The Republic, and the Jedi order thank you for your efforts. We will have a team sent in to dismantle the grift in a day or so. Kalinda, please send that list. In the meantime, stay where you are and hold the facility for now. We'll report back tomorrow at 0800 hours."

"A noble effort, both of you have made," Yoda added, much to the Jedi's surprise. Praise was exceptionally rare from the wizened Master. "That Ventress escaped, concern yourselves not. Lived to see another day, you have."

"Thank you, Master," Obi-Wan said as the communication ended. He looked at Kalinda, who shrugged.

"Don't ask me, I'm just as confused as you are." She felt pleased that he had come to her defense, especially considering that she still felt like a youngling when it came to her former Master.

"Indeed," he replied, his tone clipped. "Now, I suggest we see to the troops. We still have much work to do."


	4. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four**

Obi-Wan and Kalinda spent the rest of the day working with the troops to secure the area. There were, of course, a few rogue droids that had managed to avoid the initial battle, but were disposed of easily. The facility was checked and rechecked, and guards posted at every entrance, as well as in the main room that housed the dangerous substance. Weapons were recharged, speeders repaired, armor inspected, all before Cody would allow any of the men to rest. Finally, a few hours before dusk, everything that needed attending had been done, and it was time for dinner.

Kalinda watched as the men lined up at the mess tent, shuffling one after another, in relative silence. _They're so sedate, _she thought. _I'd swear it wasn't the same group of men. _Suddenly, a bowl of food was held in front of her, and she turned to look at the clone who was offering it in surprise. He noticed her expression and gave a small nod.

"Stonewall."

She smiled. "I didn't recognize you without your helmet."

"That's a first," he replied. "I'd think it'd be the other way around, sir." He offered her the bowl again, which she accepted with a nod.

"Perhaps," she explained. "But your helmet has a distinctive scouring pattern on the front...as if you ran headlong into something very...solid." She tasted the stew. It was hot and surprisingly good. He chuckled and she raised her eyebrows. "Ah...I think I've figured out the origins of your name. Am I right?"

There was a pause, then he nodded. "Something like that. I can be a hard-head about things, I guess. At least, some of the others seem to think so."

She glanced at him. "Have you eaten?"

"I cooked it."

"You didn't answer my question."

Again, she got the sense that he was hesitating, despite the fact that his response came quickly. "I wanted to make sure that everyone who fought today got first dibs, sir."

She shook her head. "But you did fight, Stonewall, and quite well from what I could see. Get yourself a hot meal, then sit down, for goodness' sake. That's an order." Her words were firm, but she winked at him, and he nodded.

"Yes, sir."

Kalinda found an open spot beside the fire that someone had built, and finished her meal. There was no sign of Obi-Wan, and she felt a little more at ease with some food in her stomach. She sat beside the fire for several minutes, listening to the idle chatter of the men, who seemed, she realized after a while, a little stiff and formal.

_I wonder if it's because they don't really know me, _she mused. _I can't imagine that I'm intimidating, even for a Jedi. _The desire to make life a little more enjoyable for these "faceless, nameless soldiers" struck her, and she slipped off to her quarters where someone had stowed her bag. She pulled out the instrument, and ran her fingers over the wood-grain, listening to the tone of the strings. _At least it appears to have kept the tuning._

She returned to the fire, where several more men had gathered, though most of them were silent. Stonewall was there, and she took the seat next to him, feeling him stiffen as she sat. She glanced around the fire at the identical faces and shifted the dulcimer to its proper place in her arms. "Any requests?"

* * *

After checking and rechecking the facility, Obi-Wan was finally convinced that everything was as secure as it was going to be. He made sure that Cody and his men were well stocked with food and other supplies before heading back to the camp. The night was a bit cooler than it had been in the past, and he wrapped his cloak around himself as he walked, listening to the sounds of the night. If anything about this situation was reassuring, it was the sudden presence of various local fauna that had been noticeably absent in the past weeks. If the wildlife had returned, then surely that was a promising sign.

Unbidden, his thoughts returned to Kali. The memory of their battle with Ventress was all too vivid, and he turned the events over in his mind as he walked. _What did she do? More importantly, how did she do it? _Much of the battle was hazy, as it had taken most of his concentration to keep Ventress at bay, but he was certain that he had never seen Kali use that trick before. Again, the dark-eyed woman elicited fascination within him as he wondered exactly what it was she had been doing with herself these past few years during their time apart.

_Nothing's changed, though, _he thought suddenly. _It is still a very bad idea to have a relationship with her-with anyone-right now. My attention is needed elsewhere. _However, the image of Kali, lightsaber blazing, coming to his rescue with a strange kind of power remained in his mind. She was not the same, wounded warrior that he had known, but even so, the thought of her being in danger, especially because of _him, _well, it was more than he wanted to stomach presently.

The sound of music met his senses before he was in sight of the camp, and he realized immediately what it was she had brought with her. _I should have guessed, _he thought wryly. _She never goes anywhere without that blasted thing. _He paused about twenty yards from the camp, his eyebrows raised at the sight that greeted him.

Kalinda was seated within a ring of troopers, playing the dulcimer for all she was worth, singing one of the more popular songs that was all over the vid channels. But that was not what had him so surprised; Kali rarely went an entire day without making music. No, it was the reaction of the troopers that had him at a loss.

Every one of them was engaged in the music; some were only tapping their feet and bobbing their heads, while others were clapping and stomping their feet in time to the melody. None of them resembled the worn, exhausted men that had been there when he'd left scant hours ago. The soldier that Obi-Wan had noticed had taken a shine to Kali sat next to her, clapping and...was he _singing_ along with the chorus?

It was not a particularly complicated tune-he had seen her perform far more challenging pieces-but the satisfaction emanating from the men was overwhelming. When the final refrain ended, it was not until the last notes died did the clones began applauding in earnest, some of them even letting out a whistle or cry of appreciation. For her part, Kalinda merely gave a shy grin, and took a sip from a mug next to her on the ground. Obi-Wan thought that she must have sensed him, but she made no indication as such, instead clearing her throat and beginning another tune. After listening for a few more minutes, Obi-Wan turned and walked back into the darkness.

* * *

Even as she played, even as she was totally absorbed in the music, Kalinda could still sense Obi-Wan's presence on the edges of the camp. _His voice is fair, I wonder if he'll join in, _she thought fleetingly.

He didn't.

Instead, he turned and headed in the opposite direction, deliberately avoiding the merriment, and Kali was reminded of something from their past.

_It was some kind of annual Senate function that the Jedi were supposed to attend, but the Padawans were forbidden from coming. Naturally, it had become the custom for the older Padawans to have their own party, and since it only occurred once a year, most of the Masters turned a blind eye to the event. Kali had arranged to arrive early, with a few of the others that she often played music with, to set up the equipment that they had loaned out for the event, and she had dragged Obi-Wan to help her, despite his protests. _

"_Qui-Gon gave me a pile of work to do," he argued as she handed him amplifiers and wrapped cables loosely around his neck. "And didn't Master Windu give you an assignment?" _

_She rolled her eyes. "No one expects us to do anything tonight but have fun. We work hard, Ben, we're allowed to blow off some steam once in a while." Taking the last of the equipment, she led the way to the largest practice room, where the others were already setting up. _

_Traditionally, one of the Jedi Knights remained behind to supervise the Padawans, but they had seen no sign of anyone yet, so the mood was quite spirited. After a few minutes, Kali managed to convince Obi-Wan to help set up, then it was another round of bargaining chores and pleading to get him to stay, until she couldn't take it anymore._

"_Damn it, Obi-Wan," she hissed, pulling him aside. "I'm trying to get you to relax and have _fun! _You do understand what fun is, don't you? Why are you being so difficult?"_

_He actually flushed, and looked away, refusing to meet her gaze. Finally, after a moment, he spoke. "I just...I just thought that we could spend some time, you know, together." He raised his eyebrow for emphasis, and she had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing. _

_"But, as you seem quite determined to go through with all of this," his arm waved to indicate the room that was quickly filling up with Padawans. "I may as well get my work out of the way." She stared at him, and he faltered. "Don't look at me like that...I'll come back when I've finished."_

_She shook her head in disbelief. "I don't know whether to kiss you or slap you," she said at last, grinning at him. _

"_Probably neither, unfortunately," he answered with a sigh, his eyes darting towards the rear of the room. "Master Yoda might not like it."_

_Her stomach dropped. "Master Yoda? Here?"_

_He nodded, that maddening look of smug superiority crossing his face. "See? I told you that it wasn't a good idea."_

As she finished the next song, a yawn involuntarily slipped out of Kali's mouth, and that, it seemed, was the signal that Stonewall had been waiting for.

"Alright, show's over," he said, getting to his feet. "Jedi need rest too. Let's start the watch rotation."

"Aren't I supposed to be giving the orders here?" Kalinda was careful to keep her tone light, but Stonewall immediately seemed to falter. She raised her hand. "It's okay. I was only teasing you." She smiled up at the confused clone. "If we're going to work together, Stone, you're going to have to learn my sense of humor, or develop one of your own."

"Yes, sir," he answered stiffly, though she noted the faintest of grins appear on his face.

Kalinda slipped back to her tent to put the instrument away, and then proceeded to track down her fellow Jedi. It wasn't particularly difficult; he was perched on a massive boulder that overlooked the valley opposite their camp, and gave a stunning view of the twin moons that orbited this particular planet. There was an ion storm beginning to brew in the atmosphere, creating a swirling miasma of purplish clouds that cast a faint violet glow across the landscape.

She took a seat next to him, close without touching, and they sat in silence for a time before she spoke, her voice soft in the darkness. "Ion storms are common here, aren't they? I read that Basrah gets them more frequently than rain."

"This is the first that I've seen."

"It's lovely."

"I suppose."

"Are you angry with me?" He turned to her in surprise, but she toyed with a torn bit of fabric from her tunic. "I just...I've been thinking about it, and I realize that you're not going to change your mind, and that it was out of line for me to say what I said, yesterday. So," she took a deep breath. "I just wanted to say that I accept your decision, Obi-Wan, and I won't try to...bring up any of our history anymore, if that's what you really want." She gazed at the moonlit valley without really seeing it. "I just want you to be happy. Well, as happy as you'll let yourself be-"

She was cut off by the warmth of his mouth on hers, and the gentle touch of his hand against her neck, then her cheek. They had kissed many, many times, and each time, the sensation was a shock to her. The Force flowed between them, and Kali felt her body responding to his own. In return, she reached for his hair, running her hand through his beard and back around to clasp his neck as well. They remained so for several heartbeats, before drawing apart at the same instant.

He spoke first. "You know that I care for you more than anyone else, don't you?" His blue eyes focused on hers, and she swallowed hard.

"You have strange ways of showing it," she said, keeping her tone carefully neutral. "Sometimes...I'm not sure." She shrugged. "I'm never really sure, with you."

"My commitment to the Order must come first, Kalinda," he replied, his voice equally quiet. "But...when I'm with you...I tend to forget myself. I must admit, it's unnerving. But I want you to know that, and also that it has never been, nor will it ever be, my intention to hurt you in any way." He took her hands in his own; hers were chilled from the night air, and he blew across them absently.

She stared at their clasped hands as if they were foreign to her, and then looked back at him. "I've always loved you, Ben," she said at last, her voice barely a whisper. "And no one will ever be able to convince me that I'm wrong for that, even you. And I meant what I said, about accepting your decision. Because I want more." She moved her hands out of his grasp, and hugged her knees to her chest. "I don't want to us to orbit each other anymore; I want to _know _that I won't get hurt again. I know that's not going to happen," she said quickly, seeing his expression.

"But, as I said, I can't change how I feel. I'm a Jedi, not a magician; I can set those feelings aside to do my duty, but I can't make them disappear." She looked up at him. "So if you really do love me, if you really do care about me in any way, you'll either let me go, or give this," she gestured to the space between them, "all that you have. Because if you're in, then I'm in. But if you're out, then I'm out too. Forever."

He took her hand again, and ran his fingers across the side of her face, brushing the hair out of her eyes. And when he kissed her again and again and again, she found it difficult to think about anything else. But there was one, niggling doubt that remained, even as she felt herself melting into him; he had given her no answer. However, out of long practice, or perhaps it was habit, she pushed the doubt aside, and they sat together, for quite some time, beneath the swirling sky.

* * *

"You are certain that it was no normal Jedi tactic?" Dooku's voice was clear and unwavering, even in holographic form, and Asajj Ventress straightened her spine.

"No, my master," she replied. "It was as if she created an actual barrier between us that my blades could not penetrate. It was as if she was wearing cortosis armor; I have never seen this done before."

"Nor have I," Dooku's response was tinged with curiosity. "I want to learn more about this technique. Bring her to me, and we will discover what she knows. Perhaps it will serve useful to us."

Ventress bowed low. "Very good, my master."


	5. Chapter Five

**Chapter Five**

"That ion storm will keep our reinforcements away for at least a day, maybe more," Cody said, as he and the Jedi stood in the war room the following morning. "At least things are relatively quiet for the time being."

"It's disrupting our communications as well," Obi-Wan added, glancing at Kalinda. "I only hope your report made it out in time."

"I think so," she replied. "If not, well, they'll have to do the research on their own, I suppose."

"What shall we do in the meantime, sir?" Cody said, facing Obi-Wan, who ran a hand through his beard in contemplation.

"Keep the station secure, obviously," he answered. "But also, try to relax. You've done your mission admirably...take it easy." He thumped the bewildered commander on the back, and the two Jedi exited the tent together.

When they were out of earshot, Kalinda chuckled and nudged Obi-Wan with her shoulder. "I do believe you had him at a loss for words, General." They headed for an open, grassy area where they could do some sparring.

Obi-Wan smiled. "Cody is a good soldier, and a good man. I wish I had a dozen more just like him."

"Well, technically, you do. Aren't all the clones the same?"

"I suppose they all begin the same," Obi-Wan replied. "But their experiences cause them to grow and develop differently." He glanced at her, an eyebrow raised. "For instance, you seem to have acquired a devout follower."

She looked thoughtful. "You mean Stonewall? I'm not sure. I thought they all acted like that."

"Not so," Obi-Wan said as they reached the field. He removed his outer robe, and she hers. "He's very...mindful of you." His eyes flicked behind her, and she sensed it, then. The troop had followed them, staying far enough away to remain aloof, but still keeping an eye on the Jedi. Obi-Wan grinned at her as they faced one another, sabers drawn. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say he has developed an attraction to the lovely Jedi who's about to lose this session."

She raised her blade, a determined look in her eyes. "Bring it on, Kenobi."

He had always, always beaten her, to the point where she no longer sparred with him to win, but to learn how to be a more effective fighter. Kalinda's strength was in her mind, her sharp analytical skills, but the injury she'd sustained when she was sixteen had kept her from becoming a truly great warrior.

For a time she would be well, but then the pain would creep in and she would start to lose her footing, her stance. Her knee would grow fatigued much sooner than the rest of her, and that, ultimately, would be her downfall. Still, she was intelligent and resourceful, and could usually hold her own - for a while, anyway.

This time was different, and they both sensed it immediately. Kalinda was able to draw up her personal shield without trouble, and was able to keep it up for the duration of the session, protecting herself from any blow that she was unable to block. Finally, when they both stopped to take a breath, he looked at her in wonder.

"How are you doing that? I've never felt anything like it!"

"I'm still not sure," she admitted, dabbing her forehead with the hem of her robe. "It's not an exact science, and I haven't tested it nearly enough." She grinned at him. "And who used to tease me for burying my nose in all those old holocrons?"

"You discovered this in the Archives?"

"About a year and a half ago," she replied. "It was in a language that I wasn't familiar with, so it took a bit of time to translate. And then, of course, I had no idea _how _to go about putting the method into practice, so that took some time to work through. But I think I've got most of it sorted out." She looked at him pointedly. "Let's go again, and this time, don't hold anything back. I need to make sure it will hold."

He frowned. "I'm sure that Ventress didn't hold back when she came for you, or me, for that matter. What makes you think it won't work a second time?"

"Because that was the very first time I'd field tested it," she said, crouching in a simple, Form III stance. "I need to make sure that it wasn't beginner's luck before I approach the Council."

"As you wish." Obi-Wan lunged at her, and she managed to parry him, but he was too quick, and knew her too well, anticipating her next block. He feinted left, she went right, and he struck for the edge of her tunic, where he wouldn't cause any real damage should her shield fail.

He needn't have worried. The moment that his blade made contact with her, a small spark of blue indicated that the shield was working. Kali glared at him. "I said not to hold back, Obi-Wan."

"Forgive me," he replied dryly as they circled one another. "But it goes against my instinct to try and decapitate you."

She rolled her eyes. "Would it help things if I told you that beard makes it look like you have a small, furry animal attached to your face?"

In the next moment he was right before her, their blades locked above their heads. He was so close, she could feel the heat radiating from his body, and feel his breath on her face. Suddenly, an idea occurred to her. "Don't move," she whispered, closing her eyes. Before he could ask, she drew her shield around them both, using the Force to wrap it around them like a cloak.

Sensing her actions, Obi-Wan lent her his own energy, and soon they were ensconced in a strange, rippling screen that distorted everything beyond. The hiss of blades retracting into hilts was the only sound for a moment, while they both concentrated on keeping the shield up. Finally, he opened his eyes and looked at her, wonderingly.

"You never cease to amaze me, Kali," he said, his voice quiet.

She glanced above them, taking the shield in, testing her own strength. "It's incredible, isn't it? I only hope that it can help the rest of the Jedi. This could be the turning point in the war, Obi-Wan." She looked back at him. "This could be the thing that saves us."

He made no response, only held her close, and they kissed again, beneath the shimmering protection of the Force.

* * *

Some of the others had been giving Stonewall a difficult time, as his preference for the female Jedi was growing more and more noticeable each day. He couldn't help it, though. Perhaps it was because he hadn't been around many women in his short life, and she was not unpleasant to look at.

_But it's __more than that, _he thought, watching the two Jedi head off to practice their sparring. _She's my CO, and I don't want her in that way, not like they think. _The memory of her gentle teasing and her insistence that he provide for himself as well as his brothers had struck something in him; there was a kindness to her that he had not encountered before, and - he had to admit - a vulnerability. He had never seen a Jedi with a chronic limp, though it was faint, and it added a level of mystery to the already enigmatic Jedi.

There was also a measure of unpredictability, as he recalled her impromptu concert the night before. Many of the boys were still talking about it; the consensus was that they hoped she would play for them again, soon.

Stonewall watched as the Jedi disappeared over the ridge. He felt compelled to watch the training session between the two of them, as up 'till now, he'd only seen General Kenobi in action. He kept back a good distance, not because he was trying to hide - which would have been impossible, anyway - but out of respect for their privacy. When they reached the appropriate spot, they threw their cloaks down and began sparring, and Stonewall found a place where he could observe without disrupting the action.

He was, as always, amazed at the fluid grace that encompassed the Jedi's every movement. _I could watch them all day, and never get tired of it, _he thought. Even though it was clear that General Halcyon was not as proficient a fighter as General Kenobi, he could see that she was skilled in her own right.

When they parted, he tamped down the urge to start applauding, and just watched as they seemed to have some kind of discussion, and then started up again.

But something had changed.

His forehead creased as he observed the ferocity of General Kenobi's attack, which General Halcyon was clearly unable to defend against. The last straw came when the male Jedi landed a blow to her, on the edge of her pale tunic, and Stonewall felt anger rising inside him as they parried apart. _I never thought they'd turn on each other. __Should I let Cody know?_

Just then, Kenobi launched himself at Halcyon, and they both vanished into thin air. Stonewall leaped to his feet and began to run towards the sparring ground, calling Cody as he did so.

"Commander, there's a problem with the Jedi!"

* * *

Kalinda was not sure how long they stood there, cloaked in the Force, absorbed in each other. All of her awareness was taken with Obi-Wan, with the way his body pressed to hers, and the hungry way his mouth sought her own.

_It's been so long, _she thought, _And yet, it feels like new, every time. _Finally, they parted, grinning at each other like they were teenagers again, until Kalinda peered around his shoulder, through the rippling shield, and let out a groan. Obi-Wan turned, and let out a bark of laughter.

"Looks like your trooper raised the alarm."

"Well, if he's looking to protect my virtue, he's about twenty years too late," she replied with a chuckle. "Shall we?"

"Whenever you're ready, Kali."

She leaned up and kissed him again, softly this time, and then nodded. "Okay, then." The shield dropped, and the Jedi found themselves in the midst of a very confused mob of soldiers.

Cody shouted orders for them to be still, and approached Obi-Wan warily. "Everything okay, sir? I received a report that you and General Halcyon had, er, gone missing?"

Obi-Wan nodded. "Indeed. Kalinda was showing me a new technique she's been working with. I suppose we got a little carried away."

"Sorry guys," Kali added, glancing at Stonewall, who was emanating humiliation. "I wasn't sure if it'd work at all, let alone so well. We'll let you know in advance the next time we intend to disappear."

"It was my fault, sirs," Stonewall said, taking a breath and stepping forward. "I just wanted to observe you...I didn't realize what you were doing."

"No, you didn't," Obi-Wan answered with a lift of his brow. "But thank you for keeping such a watchful eye on us. I appreciate your vigilance, as does Kalinda."

"Very good, General," Cody replied. "Sorry to disturb you. All right, you lot, back to base!"

Exchanging an amused glance, the Jedi gathered up their cloaks and followed the troops back to the camp, their hands barely brushing beneath the cover of the robes.

* * *

That night, Kalinda was asked to play again, and she found herself only too pleased to oblige. She opened with a quiet tune to warm up, watching as Obi-Wan and Cody discussed tactics a little ways off from the fire. Stonewall hovered on the outskirts of her vision; she could feel that he was still embarrassed for his outburst earlier, despite the fact that neither her nor Obi-Wan had reprimanded him. After she finished the song, she toyed with the strings for a moment, debating.

"This is one of mine," she said at last. "I wrote it when I was...oh, about eighteen or nineteen." It was a simple melody, but the lyrics were intensely personal, and she wondered if Obi-Wan would realize that it was about him, as many of her songs were.

Indeed, he and Cody had stopped their conversation to listen, and she felt a thrill of pleasure. The song's vocal range was demanding, but she slid into it easily, offering forth the necessary emotion that the music called for.

It wasn't until the final note faded completely did they applaud, offering cheers and whistles as they did so, and Kali felt that familiar glow of happiness that always accompanied sharing her music. She sipped her drink and laughed as one of the men called out a request. "Alright," she replied. "But I'm going to need some backup for that one. What do you say, Stone?"

He looked alarmed at her words, and she had to bite back a smile at his expression. "I...I don't know how to play anything, sir. I don't even have an instrument."

She shrugged. "That doesn't matter quite so much. You have everything you need in here," she tapped his armored chest. "Music comes from within, not without. Clap your hands, use your helmet as a drum – I've noticed several of you are adept whistlers. "

It took some time and a little ingenuity, but soon she had Stonewall and several of the other clones tentatively beating out a rhythm on their helmets or various other pieces of armor. Many of the others were clapping along in earnest, watching her movements to follow the rhythm accordingly. Kalinda broke into a wordless tune, weaving the melody around the impromptu percussion section until they had a pretty catchy song going. It reminded her of another song that she knew, so, after some mental tweaking, she began to sing. Some of the clones faltered, but she smiled and nodded at them, and they picked the rhythm up again.

The evening continued in a similar fashion until Cody decided that it was time for the watches to get started, and the soldiers began to disassemble.

Obi-Wan approached Kalinda, who was giving last-minute instructions to Stonewall and several other clones. "Don't worry about the mechanics of it. Creating music is a very personal thing-sometimes, you just have to _feel _that it's right." The small group looked at each other doubtfully, and Kalinda shrugged. "I know you can do it, all of you. It'll just take some practice, that's all."

She looked up as Obi-Wan came to stand beside her, amusement written across his features. "Ever the teacher."

"They have potential," she replied. "I see no reason not to encourage it. Don't you think it's important for them to have something in their lives besides fighting?" She began to walk towards her tent, and Obi-Wan followed.

"You make a good point," he said, ducking into the small room after her. "But, I'm not sure that's how they see it." Giving him a puzzled look, she put her dulcimer away and removed her cloak. He did the same, almost absently as he explained. "There's no way to say this without sounding cruel, but I've spent a good bit of time with clones, and I have to say, most of them give little thought to life outside of war. Most of them seem to believe that they won't survive long enough to see the end of the fighting."

"But that's exactly my point," she countered. "I realize that many of them will not live to see the end of the wars, but in the meantime, I just want to give them something else to do, a way to grow and to learn, that doesn't involve cleaning blasters. They deserve to have that, after all they're doing for the Republic."

He nodded, but made no reply, and they stood in silence for a moment before it dawned on her what he was doing. _We're in my quarters, the day is over, and he's waiting for my cue, _she thought with a smile. _The consummate gentleman. _She responded by pressing her body to his, and cupping his face in her hands as she kissed him. His arms wrapped around her, and he returned the action in kind.

* * *

Asajj Ventress narrowed her eyes in frustration as the ion storm continued its stubborn refusal to dissipate, and allow her ship to return to the planet's surface. "When will this cursed thing be over?" she murmured under her breath as she stared at the swirling ion patterns before her. Storms of this nature were only visible from space, and would fry most, if not all, of the computer systems aboard a vessel foolish enough to pass through one. Still, that did not make it any easier to sit and wait.


	6. Chapter Six

**Chapter Six**

Kalinda turned aside the first brush of wakefulness that she felt, preferring instead to retreat further into sated sleep, nestled in Obi-Wan's arms. The second time, she grudgingly allowed consciousness to creep across her, and gradually she became aware of the indications that morning had arrived: there was the light that filtered its way into the tent, bathing everything in a golden glow; her ears caught the tentative song of the creatures that inhabited this area of Basrah; the air felt sharper, with a slight chilled edge remaining from the night's grasp.

She turned her head to regard her companion. _If I have to be awake, he should have to as well, _she thought. As always, he seemed so peaceful in his sleep. It was really the only time she'd ever seen him relax completely, and she absently ran her fingers through his beard, across the planes of his nose and lips, before leaning up to kiss his eyelids.

Yet he still remained asleep. She reached out to him through the Force, attempting to pierce through his ruse, but was met with a blank wall. Concern flooded her, and she sat up, wide awake and ready to figure out what was wrong with him. At that moment, his arms shot out and around waist, pulling her down to him. He gave her a solid kiss before she pulled away, glowering at him in mock anger.

"You always fall for that one," he chuckled, sitting up. "Every time."

She tried to be annoyed, but couldn't really muster up the energy. Instead, she moved back over to him, and wrapped her arms around his neck. They were like this for a few moments before they heard Cody's voice at the entrance to the tent.

"General Halcyon, sir? We've just received word from the transport with our reinforcements. The ion storm is beginning to dissipate, and they should be here in about an hour."

"Thanks, Cody," Kali called out, trying to sound normal. There was a pause outside the tent, and she could feel the trooper's uneasiness. "Is there something else, Commander?"

"Er, if you happen to...see General Kenobi, would you mind passing the message along?"

She looked at Obi-Wan, who raised his eyebrows. "Will do. Thanks, Cody," she called out. After the trooper had gone, she sighed, and pulled her knees to her chest, facing Obi-Wan, who had sat up as well. They were silent for a moment before she spoke. "Is it a bad thing that I feel like bursting into giggles right now? Shouldn't I be embarrassed?"

"Poor Cody," he agreed, his hands running lightly across her arm, to her collarbone, to her neck. "However, I'm sure he'll be fine." It was all too easy to become distracted as he touched her, and she would have been content to remain so for the rest of the day, but finally he cleared his throat. "Back to reality, then?"

"If we must," she replied, smiling at him.

* * *

"Do you feel that?" Kalinda asked, shielding her face with her hand as the transport landed, kicking up a miasma of dust and grasses. "They sent another Jedi."

"I hadn't thought that the situation was so serious, since we took the facility," Obi-Wan replied.

"I suppose we'll find out in a moment," she said. They stood in front of the troops, waiting patiently for the doors to open. Finally, the metal pieces slid aside to reveal a contingent of troops, as well as the distinctly smiling, green-skinned face of another Jedi. Kali grinned and gave him a wave.

The Nautolan grinned back, and stepped off of the transport to approach his fellow Jedi. "It is very good to see you both intact. I heard that things were a bit more complicated than we originally thought."

"Isn't that always the way of it?" Obi-Wan replied. The Jedi headed back to the war room, immediately launching into a discussion of the state of affairs on the way. After Obi-Wan and Kalinda brought Kit up to speed, Obi-Wan shook his head. "It still concerns me, that the Council saw fit to send another Jedi."

"I was nearby, and have dealt with grift before," Kit said, his _lekku_ bobbing as he moved his head. "And the presence of Ventress is not something to be taken lightly. The Council felt that the situation could very easily get out of hand, if they did not act preemptively."

"Yes," Obi-Wan said with a nod. "That's probably true; she is not a woman easily swayed from her purpose." He looked at Kalinda, who had remained silent throughout most of the exchange. "Well, Kali has some interesting news that, I hope, will make things a bit easier for us."

"Oh?"

Kalinda looked up, as if she'd just heard them. "Well...it would probably just be easier to show you, Kit, than to try and explain." She stood, and exited the tent, the two other Jedi following her back to the practice field. "Obi-Wan's going to attack me," she said to Kit, drawing her saber. "And I'm going to defend myself. Just watch."

Kit tilted his head, a look of confusion on his face, but he nodded, and stood by, silently. Obi-Wan drew his lightsaber, his eyes fixed on Kali's and he sprang at her without warning. She blocked his attack, and slipped away from the next one, waiting for him to make a move that she wouldn't be able to avoid. His blade swung at her, barely giving her enough time to draw up her shield, but she managed, and heard Kit's gasp as a shower of blue sparks erupted from the point of contact. The pain from the deflected hit was minor, and Kali again felt a thrill of excitement from the maneuver.

"What in the stars was that?" Kit said, stepping into the ring. He looked back and forth from Kalinda to Obi-Wan. "I've never seen such a technique before!"

"I discovered it about a year ago," Kali replied, with a glance at Obi-Wan. "We've been testing it the last few days...my eventual goal is to teach the rest of the Jedi to do this."

"But that's not all," Obi-Wan added. "She saved my life with the shield in a recent skirmish with Ventress – I'd say the technique works quite well. And there was an incident yesterday..."

"Incident?"

Kalinda felt her cheeks reddening. "I was able to somehow _conceal _myself and Obi-Wan from the troops for a few minutes. They claimed that they couldn't see or hear us, though we were aware of them."

Kit looked back and forth between the other Jedi, incredulous. "Total concealment? Such a thing has never been heard of!"

"Kalinda never ceases to amaze me," Obi-Wan remarked quietly, and she gave him a soft smile.

"The repercussions of this discovery could mean great things for the Republic," Kit said, looking thoughtful for a moment before he raised his own saber and ignited the green blade. "May I see it again?"

They spent the next hour or so sparring and trying to learn the process of the shield while the troops regrouped and unloaded the ship. Kalinda found that it was not so easy to pass on her knowledge in a practical way; neither Kit nor Obi-Wan seemed to be able to generate the shield, or, if they did, it would not hold up to any kind of outside pressure.

"I don't understand," Kalinda said, wiping sweat from her eyes. "Why can't you do this?"

"You've had a year to practice," Obi-Wan said, his blade retracting into the hilt. "Perhaps it just takes some time."

"Sir, I hate to interrupt, but we're picking up an anomaly on our scanners," Cody's voice made them all turn to observe the commander as he approached. "My boys aren't sure what to make of it-I was wondering if you could take a look?"

"I'll be right there."

"I'd like to stay, and try one more time," Kit remarked, looking at Kalinda.

"We'll be there in a moment," Kali added.

After Obi-Wan was out of earshot, Kit crossed his arms and regarded his friend. "What exactly do you think you're doing, Kalinda?"

She frowned. "Trying to salvage what I can of the Order; trying to win this war; standing here talking to you...could you be specific, please?"

His large, dark eyes met hers, unblinking. "I was speaking of the feelings between yourself and Obi-Wan." He stepped over to her, and placed his hand on her shoulder. "We've played music together too long, Kali, and I know how to read your eyes. I can see the way you look at him, and the way he looks back. You know that kind of attachment is forbidden."

She ran her hand through her hair, refusing to meet Kit's eyes. "I can't help how I feel, Kit. I've tried to let go of it, tried to forget about it...but it never stops. I love him; I always have, and I always will."

"You put all of us in danger with such feelings, my friend." His voice was gentle. "Though I understand what it is like to love another Jedi, without being able to act on it."

_Aayla_, she thought, meeting Kit's gaze at last. The Twi'lek Jedi was one of her friends as well, and she had seen firsthand how the two cared for each other, though, ultimately, Aayla decided that it was better for them both to keep their relationship strictly professional. She saw that he understood her thoughts, and he nodded slowly. She was quiet for a moment, gathering her thoughts.

"I'm sorry, Kit. But I still think that it is possible to do my duty to the Republic and the Order _and _allow myself to love Obi-Wan." She put her hand on his arm. "I think that, not only it is a mistake to hide my true feelings, but it is a lie, to myself, and to the Force." She sighed. "You've studied the histories, as I have. You know that it wasn't always this way, that, at one time, Jedi were allowed to love, and even to marry."

"But things have changed, my friend," Kit answered. "And so must we." Neither of them said anything for a moment, until he spoke again. "As I recall, you have both been down this road before. He has hurt you before, as you have allowed him to do so. Does Obi-Wan share your sentiment after all these years?"

"He does, at last," she responded, taking a deep breath. "Though, I wish it hadn't taken him so long to realize it."

"I take it that the Council is not aware of this...matter?"

She laughed bitterly. "I hardly think that Master Windu could be any _less _disappointed in me, but no, as far as I know, they are not aware of anything."

"You discredit yourself by discrediting your old Master, Kali," Kit said. "Perhaps he might be persuaded to think as you do, if you are certain."

"I-"

"Kalinda," Obi-Wan's voice suddenly sounded out of their comms. Kali lifted her arm and admitted his transmission, watching as his holographic projection flickered. "An unknown ship is approaching the area...I think it's-" His voice became distorted, then the image was cut off completely as a rollicking boom shook the earth beneath their feet. Instantly both Jedi had their weapons drawn and were racing towards the camp.

The sight that greeted them once they cleared the hill was chaotic; soldiers scrambled for cover where they could, firing at the multitudes of attack droids that had overrun the area. Kit leaped to come to the aid of a group of clones that had been pinned against one of the tanks without cover, while Kali made her way towards Obi-Wan and Cody, who were battling droids in the middle of the camp itself.

She was stopped as Stonewall nearly took a hit from a droid, which she jumped forward to deflect. Once she did so, he looked her way. "General Halcyon, you're okay?"

"Fine, Stone," she replied, despite the twinge in her knee, already.

For some time she and Stonewall fought back-to-back, he with his blaster, she with her saber; the noises of battle punctuated the air around them, and she could smell molten slag and smoke from fallen droids. "They haven't even gone after the facility," Stonewall said between a break in the fire. "Just ambushed us out of the blue."

"Something's definitely out of place," she agreed, taking the opportunity to look for Obi-Wan; she spotted him by his lightsaber, with Cody in the middle of the camp, surrounded on all sides by droids.

Again, she tried to get to him, but again she was stopped by a line of battle droids. These she was able to take out with little issue, but they managed to push her just a little farther to the outskirts of the camp; there were just so many of them, it was growing impossible to reach Obi-Wan and his commander. She held her frustration at bay as she cleanly sliced through a droid, then used the Force to knock aside several more that were obstructing her path.

But still they came.

Several of the more deadly, destroyer droids came after her, forcing her to leap above them to avoid their fire. She landed on a boulder, just beyond the perimeter of the camp, farther than ever from Obi-Wan, and the realization struck her.

_They herded me to this place, _she thought with a swallow. _This is a trap. _As she was about to make a dash for the camp again, she heard the unmistakable hiss of a lightsaber being activated, and turned around to see Asajj Ventress bearing down on her.

"We meet again, Jedi," Ventress' voice was strangely sibilant amidst the chaos. "But I do not think things will go quite the same, this time." With that, she sprang at Kalinda, who managed to throw up her shield, though she nearly got her arm sliced off. The fight with Ventress was too close, too fierce, and Kalinda knew that she was outmatched; the darksider kept her too busy to do little more than parry, leaving her no time or energy for her shield.

Suddenly, blaster fire burst below their feet, knocking Ventress back with a growl. Each woman glanced over as Stonewall came barreling in, firing at the darksider with all he was worth. _He's going to get himself killed, _Kali thought with a stab of fear. _I can't allow that to happen. _

She tried to extend her shield to cover the trooper, but Ventress continued to focus her energy on the Jedi. Kali cast her mind out to Obi-Wan, but was unable to concentrate enough to do so; if she only had a moment to _think_, maybe she could manage it...

However, she never got the chance to try, because that was when Ventress lifted her wrist to her face and shouted into her comm, and Kalinda's world went black.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Chapter Seven**

Obi-Wan managed to make his way over to Kit, though it was not easy. The two Jedi stood side to side, deflecting blaster bolts and trying to keep the brunt of the shots away from the troops. Obi-Wan cast a glance around the area. "Have you seen Kali?"

"No, my friend," the Nautolan answered, sending five droids backwards with a wave of his hand.

Just then, Stonewall's voice came over the comm. "Generals! It's that bald witch, she's engaging General Halcyon, in the north sector! Requesting back up!"

"We're on our way," Obi-Wan answered, springing forward. The Jedi raced towards the outcropping, several of the troops on their heels, including Cody. Obi-Wan reached out to Kalinda through the Force, but was unable to reach her; he tamped down his concern and urged his body to move faster.

They arrived in time to see Kalinda's body being tossed into a small ship, Ventress deflecting any blaster bolts that were being fired. Sensing his approach, she turned to Obi-Wan and gave him a wide smile, followed by a more lurid gesture that he could barely make out through the swirl of dust. There may have been a flash of white armor as well, he didn't know. All of his energy and attention spiraled towards the ship, and he reached out with the Force, to stop the vessel, to bring Kali back, _anything_, but it was too late. The ship lifted off the ground, and disappeared in a flurry of dust.

Obi-Wan stood perfectly still for a moment, his mind a blank. He shifted his weight in uncertainty. As he did so, his foot brushed against something metallic: it was Kali's lightsaber.

* * *

_Even before her injury, combat had always been her weakness, from her earliest days at the Temple. Quite frankly, she preferred to tuck herself away in the Archives with her history texts than practice with the other Padawans in the training rooms. When she did practice with the others, she was always beaten, always the one to receive the special coaching in front of the class as the teacher patiently watched her go through the forms again and again and again. Often she wondered if there was something wrong with her; she could sense the Force telling her where to move, what to do, but her body refused to listen. It was frustrating, to say the least, and Kalinda soon found herself growing more and more isolated from the others. _

_Even after she had been Jonas Ki's Padawan for some time, she was not where she should have been, and things did not promise to improve. For all of her Master's encouragement, she still found herself at the losing end of every sparring match. _

_One day, she and Jonas were called to the Council chambers; where only Master Windu and Yoda were waiting. Kalinda knew that something was wrong by the firm set of her master's mouth, and the grim way in which Master Windu watched her. _

"_Kalinda," he began without preamble the moment she came to stand before him. "Your skills with a lightsaber are weak, at best. This council has determined that if you are to continue your training, you must make a vast improvement in your combat skills." _

_Kali felt her stomach drop, and the room was silent for a moment as she looked up at Jonas. "Master?" _

"_I have told you," he replied to the two Masters. "I take full responsibility for Kalinda's level of development in this area, and will personally ensure that she receives extra training-"_

"_Needed, are you," Yoda interrupted. "At Ord Mantell, yes. For difficult negotiation, your skills are required. Too dangerous for your Padawan, this mission is. Find another to train with, you must." The last sentence was directed to Kalinda, who felt a flash of irritation. _

"_But isn't it a Master's job to train his Padawan?" She couldn't stop the words as they escaped, though she regretted them instantly. _

_Mace Windu gave her a dark stare. "Indeed. But it is also the Padawan's responsibility to ensure that they are trying their hardest to train. You spend too much time in the library, and not enough in the training room. This is not up for debate, young one." With that, he nodded to Jonas, and they left the room. _

_So it was with a heavy heart that she bid farewell to her Master, and approached Obi-Wan, who seemed to reside on the opposite end of the spectrum. He was the shining star of every class, impeccably graceful with his weapon, flawless timing, and excellent intuition. They had never been paired together, as it would not have been a real test of skill for him, and would have been too disheartening for her. Even though he was only twelve, he was one of the best warriors among the students, and everyone was surprised that he had not yet been chosen as a Padawan. _

_She approached him after class one evening, just prior to the evening meal. His blue eyes studied her curiously as she stood before him and made her request. He made no response for a moment, and she was afraid that he would say no, or that his other friends would call him away, but none of that happened. Instead, he nodded solemnly, and raised his saber, offering a challenge that she accepted._

* * *

When Kali woke, she was suspended about ten centimeters off of the ground in one of the containment fields that she'd read about, aboard what she assumed was Ventress' vessel. Though she figured it would be no use, Kalinda attempted to wriggle free from the bonds, just in case.

Of course they remained firmly around her wrists and ankles, and she gave up after a few minutes, her mind furiously working to formulate some kind of plan. A survey of the chamber showed that the ship must have either been larger than she had first realized back on the planet's surface, or that she had been transferred to another ship.

_Hopefully the former, _she thought with a grimace. _If she's turned me over to the Separatists already, it will make things a bit more complicated. _She was alone in the darkened chamber, which was softly illuminated by the glowing restraints that held her aloft, as well as the lighted console that stood before her.

There was a door behind her, and she heard a quiet hiss as it slid open, and then the soft tread of footsteps as her captor approached. Kalinda tried to gather the Force around her, to give her strength, but it slipped away, eluding her grasp.

Ventress' low laughter filled the chamber, resonating off of the metallic walls as she faced Kali. "It is useless to try and use your abilities when I am holding you," she said, circling the suspended Jedi. "This containment field has been specially formulated for Force users." She came to rest in front of Kalinda. "There will be no escape for you, Jedi." The last word was spoken like a curse, and Kalinda felt a stray bit of spittle land on her cheek.

"Didn't your master ever teach you _not_ to spray when you taunt your prisoners, Ventress? It's just bad manners."

The pale woman's eyes flashed angrily at Kalinda's words, but instead of replying, she simply gave the Jedi a demure smile and pushed a button on the console beside her. Pain immediately blossomed throughout Kali's entire body, and she couldn't help the shriek that rose involuntarily from her lips.

The pain lasted for about thirty seconds, and it filled every part of her body, toe to forehead; it was as if she was being stuck with white hot needles and compressed beneath a rock all at once. The worst part, though, was that her connection to the living Force seemed to be completely severed while the pain coursed through her. When it finally ended, Kalinda sagged in her bonds, gasping for breath, and trying to mentally regroup.

Ventress still stood before her, watching her reactions almost curiously. When Kali had finally caught her breath, the Darksider hovered her finger over the panel, and reached out with her other hand to grasp Kali's face, and pull it towards her. "Now that I have your attention," she purred. "Perhaps you'd like to tell me about your little shield trick."

_I'm such a fool, _Kali thought. _Of course that's what all this is about. I can't cooperate, no matter what. They must not get this knowledge from me. _She took a deep breath, met the assassin's dark eyes, and shook her head. "Sorry, sweetheart," she said. "But it's not going to happen."

The pain that followed was enough to cause her world to go black once more.

* * *

Stonewall crouched in the cargo hold of the assassin's ship, and wondered if he had, in fact, gone insane.

To distract himself from the grim reality into which he'd thrown himself, Stonewall began to mentally tally up the ways in which he'd failed as a soldier of the Republic: he'd broken formation to pursue and engage an enemy, alone and unbidden; also unbidden, he'd stowed aboard a Seppie vessel, rather than wait for backup from his men, let alone an order from Cody.

It was probably best _not_ to think about the fact that he'd probably have his head sliced off in a matter of moments.

Yes, distraction was a good thing. He scanned the hold again to confirm that he was alone. _Affirmative_.

But he couldn't help trying to justify his actions, even though there was no one to reprimand him. General Halcyon had been captured; she needed help, and he was the only one available to provide it. He couldn't have let her go without a fight – it was unthinkable.

After all, he'd heard stories about how some Jedi would go to great lengths to rescue clones when they were in a bind, and she'd done just as much for him during the battle, when she saved him from a droid ambush he'd been unable to prevent, so it was only right that he try and do the same thing for her.

Right?

A faint noise sounded from the upper deck; he tensed, but it was only a door opening somewhere that was – thankfully – not anywhere near his location. Stonewall turned his attention to his new objectives, running through them in his mind even as he checked the charges on his weapons: locate and extract General Halcyon, then get off of the _kriffing_ ship.

Great. He tried not to sigh, instead busying himself with changing out the power-pack on the blaster. Locate, extract, leave.

Perhaps it would be just that easy, too.

* * *

"I understand your concern, General Kenobi," Mace Windu's image flickered as he regarded the Jedi with an even gaze. "However, now is not the time to go rushing away from Basrah. You've just barely managed to stabilize the area; I think that, were you to leave now, things might turn away from our favor. This could be a ruse by the Separatists to draw us out."

Obi-Wan swallowed hard, trying to remain calm. "I realize that, General. However, Kalinda was working on a...project that the Separatists will most likely try to extract from her. I fear the worst."

Yoda's diminutive frame came into view, his hears pricking up at Obi-Wan's words. "Project, you say? Hmmmm. Inform the Council, she did not."

"She only just informed me-and Kit," Obi-Wan replied. "She found evidence of a Force-shielding technique in the Archives, and has been working on putting that theory into practice."

"With quite a surprising degree of success, I might add," Kit Fisto said. "I caught a glimpse of her in action, and it was rather impressive."

"Indeed," Obi-Wan added. "She used it in my defense during our first engagement with Ventress."

Yoda and Mace exchanged glances. "What is the exact nature of this technique?" Mace asked, his eyes on Obi-Wan. After he explained what he knew, the two Masters were quiet for a moment, absorbing the information. Finally, Mace spoke again.

"While interesting, this information does not alter our plans: we will send Skywalker on a rescue mission, while _both _of you retain control of the grift facility on Basrah. It is vital that this station be kept stable and under Republic control." His eyes were fixed on Obi-Wan, who met his gaze evenly. "Is that understood?"

"Of course, Master," Kit said with a nod.

Before Obi-Wan could reply, a presence outside the tent caught their attention. "Cody, come in," Obi-Wan called, glad for the sudden distraction.

The trooper entered, and stood at attention. "Sirs, I've finished the headcount, and it looks like we're missing a man: Stonewall."

"Dead?" Kit asked.

Cody shook his head. "No, sir. At least, not confirmed. But we've found no trace of his body anywhere in the area, and one of the men reported seeing a trooper..." he paused, and Obi-Wan sensed embarrassment flickering from him. "He reported seeing one of our brothers board the enemy ship. At the time, he didn't think anything of it, but now, with General Halcyon missing...well, it just makes sense."

"Stonewall...was that the one who seemed rather fond of Kalinda?" Kit asked, glancing at his companion.

Obi-Wan made no reply, only lifted his hand to his beard in thought. "All of your troops have a tracking sensor embedded in their armor, do they not?"

Cody's eyes lit up. "They do, indeed, sir. Long-range capable, too." He glanced from the holographic Jedi to the flesh and blood individuals before him. "I'll have the coordinates to you in a moment, Generals."

"Thank you, Cody," Obi-Wan said as the clone captain exited the tent. He faced the hologram again, hesitating. "Masters, with all due respect, I think that I should join Anakin on the rescue mission. Ventress has proven herself to be a deadly adversary, and I feel that he will need my assistance." He gestured to the Nautolan beside him. "The grift is secure. Kit and Cody can handle the situation here. Quite frankly, I think that the presence of two Jedi on Basrah at this point is overkill, Masters."

Mace frowned, but it was Yoda who spoke. "Strong are your feelings about this matter, hmm? Leaving Master Fisto with a task you could not handle alone, you would be."

"Master Yoda is correct," Mace added. "Additionally, Skywalker has proven himself more than able to handle these kinds of situations; he will attempt a rescue, and you will remain on Basrah." His eyes bored into Obi-Wan's. "That is an order, General. Do you understand?"

Obi-Wan nodded. "Yes, Master." _Attempt a rescue?_

"May the Force be with you, Obi-Wan," Yoda added just before the transmission was ended.

The two Jedi stood quietly for a moment before Kit spoke. "I'm sorry, my friend. But you must have faith in the Council's decision. Even I can sense your growing attachment to Kalinda; it's better if you remain out of this situation." He placed a comforting hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder. "Anakin will be able to rescue her."

"I'm going to meditate for a while, to clear my head," Obi-Wan said to Kit, who nodded, and he slipped out into the fading glow of the day. He headed off eastward, away from the camp, away from the grift facility, and away from the sparring field. Finally, when he was certain that he had put enough distance between himself and the camp, he brought his comm up to his face, and activated it-voice only.

"Master! This is a pleasant surprise," Anakin's tone was conversational, but Obi-Wan could sense an undercurrent of tension in his voice. "What can I do for you?"

"I presume that you've spoken with Master Windu?"

There was a pause. "Yeah, just finished, actually. Sorry to hear about your friend...but don't worry, I'm on it."

Obi-Wan sighed. "That's precisely what I need to discuss with you. Tell me, what is your location?"


	8. Chapter Eight

**Chapter Eight**_  
_

_There is no emotion, there is peace..._

Kalinda tried to accept the pain, tried to welcome it as an alert from her body that something was wrong, but she could not bring her focus down on anything for too long, before Ventress activated the console again. Her throat was raw, and she was vaguely aware of the tears on her cheeks, but still she refused to answer the woman's questions. Instead, she watched blearily as the darksider paced around the chamber, intent on drawing the necessary information out of Kali.

"I can do this all day, you know," Ventress said, activating one of her sabers and tossing it to herself almost playfully. "But you can end it, now. Tell me what I want to know."

Kalinda remained silent for another moment, and Ventress rolled her eyes, reaching for the console. However, before her hand made contact with it, Kalinda managed to speak. "You're from Dathomir, aren't you?"

The pale woman paused, but did not reply, so Kalinda continued. "I thought so. I've never been, but my old master went there on several occasions. It's a...harsh world." She raised her eyes to Ventress; the assassin's were dark, but Kalinda could tell that her words had struck a chord. "It must have been difficult to get away."

"If you're not going to tell me about your shield...then shut up." The words bit through the tension in the air, and Kalinda winced involuntarily as Ventress reached for the console again. However, her comm beeped, and she sighed as she answered. "What?"

"Count Dooku requests an update on your progress, Commander," the droid said, its nasal voice echoing in the chamber.

Pushing the console one last time, Ventress sent another burst of pain throughout Kali's body, but she barely had the strength to whimper. "I'll be right there," Ventress said, releasing the console and casting a glare at the Jedi, then slipped out of the chamber.

The moment that the door closed behind her captor, Kalinda slumped in her bonds, and closed her eyes, letting the pain wash over her. _How am I going to get out of this? s_he thought, trying to keep her thoughts calm. _What am I going to do?_

* * *

Stonewall had always been pretty good at stealth, and though the ship was not big, it was also not too heavily fortified with droids; he figured that it had been more convenient for the assassin to sneak in with just a few clankers on her personal craft, rather than the transport ship that had dropped down on them back at the base.

As long as he kept to the shadows, he was able to make his way out of the hold and onto the main level of the ship, all the while avoiding any droids. Listening was key. _Don't rush it, _he told himself. _Just take it easy, keep your wits about you. Look before you go, then look again. _

_Listen. _

Clankers weren't called that for nothing; it was all too easy to hear then Force-forsaken things coming and duck out of the way.

The ship was not of a make he'd been inside before, but it was a simple matter to figure out his way around. Since the vessel did not appear to have a detention level, he estimated that the Jedi was being held in an inner chamber; minutes later he paused at the outside of what appeared to be a promising door, and istened.

There was no sound, at first.

He wished that it had remained so, because the next noise was unmistakably that of someone crying out in pain. _General Halcyon, _he thought, tightening his grip on his weapon. He wanted to leap in the room, guns blazing, but common sense told him that would be suicide.

_Better to wait it out, for now, at least. _Taking a deep breath to bring about a measure of calm, he found a vent in the wall big enough for him to fit inside of, dropped to his hands and knees and made himself scarce. Soon enough, he heard the door slid open, and watched as the assassin stalked by, her footsteps fading to nothing within a few moments.

Still, she might return. Stonewall counted to thirty in his head, forcing himself to keep the beat steady as the dark-haired woman had urged him during the music lesson of the previous night; when he could stand it no longer, he extracted himself from his hiding place and entered the room that held his general.

* * *

"I'm sorry to leave you, Kit," Obi-Wan said, adjusting the bag across his shoulder. "But I feel that this is something that I must do. I'm not sure what else I can say."

Kit's large eyes regarded him. Nautolan's eyes were often described as being completely black, but if one looked closely, one could see a swirling miasma of different colors that pooled and migrated within the eye itself.

"I understand that you are concerned for Kali," he said slowly. "And I do not feel that I will be unable to handle the situation here alone. However, I think that it is a dangerous path you choose, my friend. The feelings that you have for Kali, however strong they might be, have ultimately done little besides cause her - and you - great pain. They border on attachment, Obi-Wan. And I cannot help but wonder if the Jedi will suffer for it."

Kit's words struck him, but Obi-Wan chose not to show it. Instead, he simply gave his friend a slight bow. "May the Force be with you, Kit."

"And you too, Obi-Wan," Kit replied, his voice quiet. He looked down, then at Obi-Wan again. "And may it be with Kali, also."

Obi-Wan nodded, and slid onto his speeder. He looked at Cody, who had come to see him off. "If I see Stonewall, I will do everything in my power to bring him back in one piece."

The clone captain sighed. "Very good, sir. I hope you do, because I'm going to give him a piece of my mind. I still can't believe what he did...reckless fool."

"He acted rashly, yes," Obi-Wan said, feeling impatient to be off. "But it seems that he will be the thing that allows us to find her, so perhaps that balances things out." With that, he started the speeder, and raced off into the night, towards the rendezvous point. As he rode, he tried to reach through the Force, to find her. _I would know it if she was dead, _he thought, gunning the speeder to maximum power. _I would know it._

* * *

It was a way to deal with the pain-for now-to retreat into her mind, where nothing could touch her. Kalinda was remembering. She was dreaming.

_She was young, barely old enough to hold a training saber, around her fifth summer. She was at the Temple, at the very beginning of the training that would eventually lead her to the life of a Jedi. The students were kept in small groups of three or four until they reached this age, and then they officially became "younglings" and were brought together to start their journey as a group. It should have been difficult to recall, but it was not. The memory was clear._

_Her group was outside one of the training rooms, waiting to go inside and officially meet Master Yoda, who would oversee much of the younglings' initial training. More groups were coming; small, frightened eyes met hers and looked away, nervously. But Kali felt no fear, only curiosity. She wanted to see what was in this room, what lay beyond this door, and all the other doors in this huge place. She tried to whisper to the girl beside her, a Rhodian, but the other girl merely shook her head, and looked at the ground. Kali sighed._

_Another group of students walked up, led by a stern-looking male Twi'lek Jedi. The new group settled in next to hers, but no one said a word. Kali studied the newcomers, wondering if she would find a friend. Then, one of the human boys looked up and met her gaze. She gave him a broad smile, which he returned tentatively. She glanced around; the Twi'lek had left, and there was only the human female Jedi who had brought her group here initially, and she was busy looking at her datapad. Kali slipped over to the boy._

"_I'm Kalinda," she said without preamble. "Or Kali, if you want. What's your name?"_

_He seemed startled at her directness, but recovered quickly. "I'm Obi-Wan Kenobi." _

_She wrinkled her nose. "Obi-Wan? That's a funny name, huh?"_

"_It's not funny, it's just my name!" he protested. "What if I told you your name was funny?"_

_She considered this for a moment, then shrugged. "It is kinda funny, isn't it? Kall-EEN-dah." She said it a few times, stretching out the syllables until they were both giggling. A shushing sound from the Jedi guardian caused them to be quiet, but she could still see laughter in his blue blue eyes._

_After a moment, he grinned at her in earnest. "It's okay, Kali. You can call me Ben, if you want. It's my nickname."_

_She smiled back. "Okay, Ben." They stood in silence for a moment as another group of students approached, then, finally, the door to the training room slid open. Students peeked over one another to get the first look inside the room, where their new lives were waiting. Kali glanced at her new friend, and grinned again. "Are you ready?"_

_His face was serious, but his eyes smiled at her. "I can't wait."_

* * *

"I still can't believe this is happening," Anakin said by way of greeting as Obi-Wan stepped aboard the _Resolute. _"I mean, Obi-Wan Kenobi deliberately disobeying a direct order from the Jedi Council? Has Mustafar frozen over?"

Obi-Wan ignored the comment, instead making his way to the turbolift. "Tell your crew to get a move on, I've caused enough of a delay as it is."

"Okay, okay...not in the mood. Got it." Anakin's long stride easily matched his former master's, and they stood in the turbolift together. Anakin raised his comm. "Okay, Admiral. Take us out." They stood in silence for a moment, before Anakin glanced at his former Master.

"So! Should I presume that you have a brilliant plan in mind, or is this one of those situations where we're just going to 'wing it,' as Ahsoka says? By the way, she's pretty upset that she couldn't join us - Master Yoda ordered her off the field for a week to 'rest and rejuvenate.'"

Obi-Wan exhaled deeply, and raised his hand to his temple. "I believe that Kalinda has information that is of great value to the Separatists, and to Count Dooku in particular. Ventress is most likely attempting to extract that information from her as we speak."

He stared at the turbolift console without seeing it for a moment, then turned to Anankin. "We need to get her back as soon as possible. Ventress is on a fairly small fighter, probably on her way to meet with whoever is holding her leash at the moment. Cody should have sent the tracking information from his wayward trooper."

"You know, I'd love to think that we could just sneak up on her," Anakin replied. "But she's pretty difficult to catch off guard." The turbolift finally halted, and the Jedi stepped out onto the bridge, watching as the ship hurtled through the galaxy at lightspeed.

"General Kenobi, we have the coordinates of the trooper," the Admiral said with a curt nod. "What are your orders, sir?"

Anakin glanced at Obi-Wan, who was deep in thought. "Give us just a second, Admiral." The soldier nodded and turned back to the helm. Anakin steered Obi-Wan in the opposite direction. "Now would be time to reveal that brilliant plan of yours, Master."

"Control," Obi-Wan's voice was quiet. "Ventress has complete control of the situation. We must regain it, or Kali will be lost."

"Not complete control," Anakin replied with a smirk. "After all, I'm pretty sure that she doesn't know we're on her tail, or she'd have disabled that trooper's tracking chip by now. We have the advantage of surprise, at least."

"Unless it's a trap," Obi-Wan added. He was silent for a moment, then shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I can't see that we have any other options." He looked up at the Admiral. "I want us to come out of hyperspace right on top of Ventress' ship. Charge the cannons, and station soldiers at every gun."

"Yes, General Kenobi."

Anakin glanced at his old Master, one eyebrow raised. "Kind of reckless, isn't it? Going in with guns blazing?"

Obi-Wan stared ahead at the rushing stars, expressionless. "Perhaps, but I fear it is the only way to save her. The moment that we come out of hyperspace, I want you to target her engines, and disable the craft."

The younger man's brow furrowed. "Master, I don't understand...what is it with her?"

"Ventress?"

"No," he chuckled. "Master Halcyon. You seem a little...on edge; it's almost like, well...like you care a great deal for her." He looked curiously at Obi-Wan

Staring straight ahead, Obi-Wan almost didn't answer, but after a moment he let out a sigh, and looked back at his former Padawan. "I have known Kalinda since we were children. We were raised at the Temple together; we've trained together, and fought side by side for almost as long as I can remember. She is one of my oldest and dearest friends." His eyes shifted, and Anakin gave him a knowing look. Obi-Wan sighed again. "I'd prefer to leave it at that."

"Okay, okay," Anakin replied, spreading his hands. "I was just curious." He gave Obi-Wan another, more thoughtful look, but said no more. They stood together on the bridge, and watched the stars rush by.


	9. Chapter Nine

**Chapter Nine**

"General? General Halcyon?"

_I must be hallucinating, _she thought. _Someone's calling me. Who could be calling me?_

"General? It's me, Stonewall." The voice was coming from very close, almost as if the speaker were next to her ear. She swallowed thickly, but found it difficult to form a coherent thought, much less a reply.

"Kalinda?"

The sound of her own name brought her back from the brink of unconsciousness, and her eyes cracked open reluctantly. She stared at the clone trooper as if she had never seen another human before; he had removed his helmet to speak to her, and concern was written plainly across his face. After she regained some of her composure, she spoke; her voice was the sound of boots against wet gravel.

"What in the seven hells of Tethys are you doing here, Stonewall?"

"I...er, came to rescue you," he replied. "Though, I admit it wasn't the most well-thought out plan, and I'll probably be court-martialed for such a ridiculous stunt-"

"You need to hide yourself," Kali interrupted. "I'm assuming she doesn't know that you're here?" A faint smile crossed his face, though he smoothed it over in an instant as he shook his head; she sighed. "When she lands, sneak off and call for help. Forget about me; I'm a lost cause. That's an order."

"With all-due respect, sir," Stonewall said, turning to the console beside her. "I don't think you're in your right mind. I'm sure that the other Jedi won't abandon you, General. We probably just have to hold out until they come for us – well, for you, anyway," he added in a light tone. "But in the meantime, I'll try to figure out a way to get you down from there. I doubt that's very comfortable"

It was a clumsy attempt at a joke, but she managed a weak chuckle anyway; the presence of a friendly face brought her some comfort, though she was loathe to encourage his misguided actions. He responded to her with a shy grin of his own, then continued to study the console, his brows knitting in concentration.

As he did so, she swallowed, and took a deep breath. _It's not just me anymore, _she thought, watching the wayward soldier. _I have to get him out of here alive. _A quiet noise caught her attention, and he responded to the way her head lifted, as if he could see her focus sharpening.

"What is it, General?"

"Ventress is coming back," Kali answered. "Hide yourself." He lifted his blaster, looking uncertain, and she managed a glare at him. "You're no good to me if she slices your head off, Stone. Hide. Yourself. Now."

At that he nodded once, and slipped out of the room as silently as he'd entered, which was quite a feat given the armor. Kalinda closed her eyes, and tried to push him from her thoughts. _I must keep all of her attention so she isn't aware of him, _she thought, her mind a little clearer.

_Perhaps this isn't as hopeless as I thought. _The door slid open again, and Ventress stepped into the room, and came to stand in front of the suspended Jedi.

"You're in luck," she said, coming to stand close before Kalinda. "My masters have graciously allowed you one more opportunity to answer my questions." Her hand brushed the console in a light caress, and Kalinda felt a shiver run through her body. "Tell me what I need to know."

Kalinda studied the pale woman for a moment, choosing her next words carefully. "How reasonable of them...very well. I found the information by chance, some time ago. It's taken me a while to figure out how to put the technique into practice." She gave a weak smile, the dried tears and sweat on her face pulled uncomfortably on her skin. "I can show you, if you'd let me out of this containment field."

Ventress' sharp laughter pierced the air. "What kind of fool do you take me for, Jedi?"

_I don't know, _Kali thought wryly. _ What kind are you? _She gave another, more sheepish grin. "It was worth a shot, at least." _Here goes nothing. _"It's just something that my old master, Jonas Ki, taught me; sometimes a direct approach is best. You never know unless you try, right?"

"Tell me what I want to know!"

"Jonas was a good Jedi and a wonderful Master," Kalinda said. "But he was a better man. Not a day goes by that I don't think of him, and miss him." She closed her eyes, letting the memories overtake her. "He was killed when I was sixteen. He died in my arms." Her dark eyes opened, and she met Ventress' light ones. "I would give anything to hear his voice again."

She could see that her words had struck a chord within the pale-skinned woman, even though it was just for a moment. Kali decided to push her luck. "Did you ever hear of the terrorist, Non? No? I didn't think so...he isn't much mentioned much anymore." She managed an awkward shrug in her bonds. "He murdered my master...for no reason other than he felt like it."

Ventress was very still, and Kalinda could tell that she was listening. "We tried to find him, to bring him to justice. But it was difficult; he was elusive, and had no attachments to anything or anyone. However," she paused. "I found him, one day. I didn't kill him," she added, seeing the look of curiosity alight in her captor's eyes. "But I may as well have. I left him with those who most certainly did end his sorry excuse for an existence." She sighed. "But none of it mattered, in the end. My master was still dead, and I was quite alone."

"You should have killed him." Asajj's voice was low. "You should have avenged your master."

"I wanted to kill him," Kali admitted. "I wanted to very much. But in the end, as I said, it made little difference. Death and revenge are part of a vicious cycle that is much harder to break than to perpetuate." She met Asajj's eyes again. "But I suppose that your Sith masters feel differently."

"The Jedi are weaklings," Ventress said with a growl. "I have chosen a stronger path, with the Sith."

"Perhaps it seems like that, now," Kali replied. "But I have to wonder how much of your 'training' has been spent studying the history of the order that you so long to join. For instance...how many Sith lords do you know?"

Asajj glared at her, but did not answer. Kalinda sighed. "Very well. If it's more than two, then, sweetheart, you're out of luck. There are always only two: a Master, and an Apprentice. One embodies power, while the other embodies the desire for power. It's obvious that you're no Master, and I'd bet anything that you like that your beloved Masters would just as soon toss you into a lava pit than keep you as a true apprentice." She looked at the woman, and could see that the words had affected her.

However, in the next moment, Ventress narrowed her eyes. "You're stalling, Jedi." She pressed the console, but Kalinda had braced herself for the onslaught of pain, and it wasn't as bad as it had been.

_Or perhaps I'm growing used to it, _she thought. _That's most likely not a good thing. _When the pain ceased, she was dizzy and weakened, but not as incapacitated. Her head lolled over as she looked at the assassin. "You know I'm right, Asajj," she whispered. "But you don't have to believe me...just think, what would your master - your Jedi master - say? What would he say if he could see you now, see the person that you've become?"

"He was weak," Asajj said, her eyes on Kali, but her mind elsewhere. "He deserved to die."

"You don't believe that."

"I-"

"Commander! There's a ship...correction, a battle-ship coming out of hyperspace! What should we do?" The droid's voice sounded tinny in the chamber.

Ventress gave Kali and icy glare, and barked out an order on her comm. "Evasive maneuvers! I'll be right there. As for you, _Jedi_," she growled the word at Kali, and then slammed her hand down on the console, sending a fresh bout of pain through the Jedi. She smiled as Kalinda shrieked, for this was worse than any of the other times. "Even if they do manage to rescue you, I swear on my master's grave that there will be nothing left of you for them to find."

* * *

"We're coming up on them now," Anakin's voice was anxious, and he glanced at his comm again. "Master, I really think that you should let me pilot the fighter."

Obi-Wan shook his head. "No, Anakin. We need a relatively neutral party to contact her. If she senses my...friendship with Kalinda, I think she'll kill her outright."

"It just seems kind of rash, for you. I still think that we need to take a little more time to think things through." He paused. "And I would just like to add that I still can't believe we're having this conversation."

"Just do your part, Anakin, and save the jokes for another time," Obi-Wan's voice was curt as he prepped the fighter.

"Okay, Master," Anakin replied with a sigh. He exited the hangar and made his way to the bridge, where Captain Rex and Admiral Yularen was anxiously awaiting orders. "Let's do this."

The _Resolute _ended its journey almost on top of Ventress' ship, which appeared to be heading for one of the uninhabited moons of the planet Cevarus. As Obi-Wan had instructed, one of the clones immediately opened fire on the enemy ship, and splotches of bright orange and yellow flame erupted briefly from the hull before being extinguished in the vacuum of space. Anakin activated the comm, and sent a hail to the small craft. Ventress appeared in the viewscreen moments later, her expression guarded.

"Why, if it isn't little Skywalker! Have you come to rescue your friend?"

"Since you already know why I'm here," Anakin replied. "Why don't you just make this easy for yourself and turn her over to us? As you can see, you're quite out-gunned, and I'm pretty sure that you're not going anywhere."

Ventress' eyes glittered, even as the droids behind her were milling about in chaos. "Are you so certain of that? And I have to wonder, what is it that makes you so sure that there will be anything left of your friend for you to rescue?"

* * *

The moment that Ventress was out of sight, Stonewall slipped out of his hiding place and back into the chamber, to a sight that made his stomach turn. General Halcyon was sagging in her bonds and there were faint smoke lines trailing up around her wrists and ankles where she was bound.

She wasn't moving. As he unsealed his helmet to better examine her, he felt a stab of fear, and approached her carefully, ignoring the pounding terror of his heart beneath his armor. She was unnaturally still...

However, once he removed his glove and set his hand in front of her mouth, felt her warm breath, faint on his skin, he relaxed.

Just a little.

Suddenly, the entire ship was rocked by an explosion, and he glanced around to make sure that the chamber was unharmed. It remained intact, though she did not wake up, and he quickly moved to the console to determine if there was a way to set her free. Suddenly, her head snapped up, and she gave him an irritated glare. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to set you free before she hurts you again, or the ship is blown into oblivion," he said, clipping his helmet to his belt and frowning at the console.

"Well, don't," she replied. "It's not time yet."

There was a time for protocol; this was not it, and he looked at her like she was insane. "What?"

Her jaw tightened. "It's not the right time, Stone. Soon. I promise, soon."

"But..."

* * *

If the situation had not been so dire, Kali would have chuckled at the bewildered expression on Stone's face, but she was tired and sore, and had much to do. Her eyes closed again, and she reached out for the Force. It was a tenuous connection, but it was there. It had not abandoned her, after all, and she took some comfort in that notion.

The ship was rocked again, and Stonewall almost lost his balance. As he righted himself, she looked at him. "Can you determine who is firing on us?"

He nodded, and pulled a small device out of his belt. "These are standard issue. They let us tap into a ship's transmissions from any location. Won't work if they're jammed, though."

"Hopefully she won't jam her own communications."

"One can hope." He placed the device against he console, and a moment later, Anakin's voice rose out of the small object.

"_...and I'm pretty sure that you're not going anywhere."_

"_Are you so certain of that? And I have to wonder, what is it that makes you so sure that there will be anything left of your friend for you to rescue?" _Ventress' voice was firm, but Kalinda sensed a slight waver.

She exhaled deeply, and looked at Stonewall again; he tensed under her gaze but his eyes on hers were unwavering. "I think I have a plan, Stone. But you need to do exactly as I say, even if it doesn't make any sense."

"Of course, General."

"Good." She gave a grim smile. "You should also know that we might perish in a most unpleasant manner if my plan doesn't work."

He nodded, replacing his helmet in one swift motion. "With all due respect, that kind of talk is just business as usual for me."

When Ventress swept back into the chamber, Kalinda was conscious, though barely, and the assassin could feel how weak she was. She pulled out her sabers, activated them, and held them on either side of Kalinda's throat. "One of your friends has come for you," she said. "But I think that I'll save him the trouble."

Kalinda met her gaze, unflinching. "You don't have to do this, Asajj. You don't have to be a murderer; you can still walk away. There is more to you than this path that you have chosen."

The pale woman's eyes narrowed. "More of your tricks? I should have cut off your head when I first brought you here!"

"But you didn't," Kali said. "And you won't kill me, even now. There is good in you, despite your best efforts, Asajj."

"Stop calling me that."

"It's your name, isn't it?"

"I'll kill you."

"Then do it."

Asajj's hands were trembling; the blades dropped several centimeters. Suddenly, another, smaller blast rocked the ship, and one of the droids on the bridge called to Ventress. "Mistress! They've launched a fighter-they're ordering us to let him dock and take back the prisoner. Our engines are disabled...can we evacuate yet?" Ventress opened her mouth to reply, when her eyes widened, and a smile crossed her face as she looked at Kalinda.

For her part, Kali felt her blood chill as, a moment later, she too sensed what the other woman had felt: Obi-Wan. He had come to rescue her. _That fool, _she thought, _he'll get us both killed._

"So, you have friends in high places?" Ventress said teasingly. "I wondered why you seemed so calm, even facing the end of your miserable existence. But it makes sense now, as does why your thoughts keep returning to him." She raised her blades again, and gave a mocking, sad expression. "It's such a shame that you won't live long enough to be reunited with your dearest."

The twin sabers' red glow filled Kalinda's vision, and she knew that it was time. "NOW!"

Stonewall burst into the room, firing for all he was worth. Instantly, the console exploded in a flash, and Kalinda managed to catch herself with the Force before she hit the ground. Stone also managed to get a shot at Ventress, grazing her shoulder, before she deflected the rest of his shots. Kali sent a burst of Force energy towards her former captor, knocking her back, before turning to grab Stonewall. They exited the room, just barely managing to lock the door as they did so.

"That won't hold her for long," Stonewall remarked as they raced down the corridor.

"I know," Kalinda replied, reaching out with her senses, trying to locate a means of escape. "But it will have to be enough."


	10. Chapter Ten

**Chapter Ten**

"Here they are, General!"

Kalinda followed the sound of Stonewall's voice; the destroyed engines had started to send smoke throughout the deck, and it was getting almost impossible to see. Still, she was able to make her way to the escape pods - only two of them, though a ship this size should have had three - to carry out the next part of her plan.

Stonewall stood at the entrance to the closest. "You should go first."

She shook her head. Then, remembering that he probably couldn't see her in the miasma of smoke, answered him. "No. Haven't you heard the shots coming from this ship? Ventress will blast us to pieces the moment she sees the pods."

"Then...?"

She sighed and looked at him, placing a hand on his forearm when she spoke. "You're probably not going to like it. Remember when I mentioned the possibility of a very unpleasant death?"

"Not something I could forget," he said in a sardonic voice after a brief pause.

Kali bit back the urge to chuckle at his tone; inwardly, she was pleased at his sense of humor. "We're going to eject the pods - empty - and make our escape another way."

The trooper's helmet tilted as he regarded her. "Another way?"

She reached inside herself, pushing away the pain and exhaustion of the past day, and felt the Force thrumming, strong and sure. _I can do this, _she thought. _I must do this. _"Do you trust me, Stone?" she asked, looking up at him again, at his visor. Where his eyes would be, if she could see them.

He didn't hesitate to respond, which touched her for some reason. "With my life."

"Great," she said with a wry grin. "Then you have nothing to worry about."

* * *

The fighter, one of the older models which Obi-Wan had chosen for its ability to seat multiple crew-members, cruised smoothly towards the assassin's craft, which was now unable to move. The Jedi could hear the transmissions that Anakin was making to Ventress, and vice-versa, but, frustratingly, he could not sense Kalinda's presence aboard the vessel. He heard Anakin's orders that she allow him to dock so that he could take Kalinda back, but so far, Ventress had made no reply. "Anakin, what's going on over there?"

"Not sure, Master. We haven't gotten a response yet. But I feel that something's not right."

"I do as well. I'm going in."

"Alright. I've got your back."

Obi-Wan maneuvered his ship towards the other, only to be met with a hail of blaster fire. "Blast! You didn't disable her weapons?"

"Hey, I'm in the middle of delicate negotiations here! You're the one who wanted to go in the fighter, remember?" Anakin replied. "And we're trying to locate the guns on that thing, but it isn't easy. I don't want to just start firing randomly; it would be a lot better if we knew where your friend was." There was silence for a moment, then Anakin spoke again. "She's back."

Ventress' voice sounded over the comm. "Hello, Obi-Wan. I know you can hear me, so I just wanted to let you know that I just beheaded your little sweetheart. She was rather pitiful, in the end, when she was begging for me to spare her worthless life, so _I'm _convinced that I did you a favor."

Obi-Wan felt his heart skip a beat, before he reined the feeling in. "You're a bad liar, Ventress."

Her laughter trickled through the cabin. "And you're a fool."

Blaster fire erupted from her vessel, causing him to have to veer to one side. Gritting his teeth, Obi-Wan managed to avoid the fire, but was unable to get any closer to the ship. _If they fire on her, _he mused, _the entire vessel, and anyone aboard, could be killed. Of course, it won't matter if Kali's already dead..._

He shook his head as if to dislodge the thought, and then his mouth dropped open in shock as a wholly unexpected sight met his eyes.

* * *

"Mistress! The escape pods have just been launched!"

Ventress felt the anger swelling within her. "Destroy them both!"

* * *

"The pods!" Anakin's voice rang out through the comm. "Two of them, do you see?"

"I do." Obi-Wan felt a thrill of relief inside him as he felt her presence once more. _She is alive. _"Concentrate all firepower on that ship. We must protect the escape pods."

* * *

The absolute cold of open space was shocking and severe, even through the Force shield that Kalinda had gathered around herself and Stonewall. She had instructed him to exhale all of the oxygen from his lungs just prior to their escape, as the vacuum of space would rip any remaining air from them instantly, and she wasn't sure how effective her shield would be against that effect.

_It will have to be enough, _she thought again, watching in vague satisfaction as the escape pods were demolished. Her eyes closed, forcing her to focus back on the shield; she could feel the immense weight of the void pressing down on them, and she was silently thankful that she had agreed to let Stonewall carry her in his arms so that all of her attention could be on the shield.

It was strange to meditate without breathing, but it was essential. Kali felt the Force flowing around her and Stone, wrapping them within itself, and protecting them from the void. On a whim at the last minute, she had instructed the trooper to imagine an energy shield around them, like a second skin, to help her retain her focus, and he was doing so admirably. She could feel his concentration, even though she was sure he was probably unnerved by the blackness that surrounded them.

At this thought, her eyes opened, just for an instant, and she was greeted by the dizzying sight of the blank void. And a ship. A small vessel, to their right. She felt rather than heard the blaster fire that ripped through the space and made its way to the enemy ship. At that moment, Stonewall fired up the repulsors on his armor-standard issue-and began to navigate them, slowly, away from Ventress' ship.

_Kalinda. _

She felt Obi-Wan's consciousness slip through to her, and a small smile played on her lips, which were starting to go numb. _We're here, _she called through the Force. _We're over here._

* * *

Ventress howled in frustration as she watched the escape pods slip out of their locks, and nearly fell when the cruiser began to open fire in earnest. She pushed her way to the bridge, knocked the droid at the weapons station aside with a sweep of her hand, and fired on the twin pods, which each exploded in a shower of sparks. Sitting back in satisfaction, she let out a low chuckle, before springing to her feet and out the door, to the final escape pod.

* * *

"She's destroyed the escape pods, sir!"

Obi-Wan heard the horror in the Admiral's voice over the comm, but he barely paid it any attention. Instead, he focused on the most unexpected sight of two human figures-not in any way equipped for a space walk-emerging from the ship's docking port. Kalinda was in the clone trooper's arms, which confused Obi-Wan a great deal until he remembered her shield.

_Stars and galaxies, _he thought, watching in helpless horror as the trooper activated his repulsors and maneuvered them away from Ventress' ship. _She's mad. She's absolutely mad. _But she was alive, he could tell, when a moment later she responded to his thoughts.

"Master, what...?" Anakin's voice was confused. Obi-Wan ignored his former Padawan.

He carefully piloted the ship close to them as he dared, thankful again that he had chosen the craft for its crew capacity and not its firepower. The navigation seat and gunners' seats were each independently sealed; in the eventuality that one was destroyed, the others would not be condemned to death as well.

Obi-Wan tried to get a good look at Kali as approached, but her face was shadowed. The clone, luckily, seemed alert enough to maneuver the two of them into the gunners' area, activating the seal the moment they were down.

"Sir, she's not well. We need to-"

Obi-Wan was already heading towards the ship. He glanced back at Kali, only to see that she was almost as pale as Ventress, and starting to convulse. Her lips were blue, and her eyes were open but unfocused. The only reassuring thing was that he could feel her through the Force, a small but bright pulse of life that he knew almost as well as he knew himself.

"Anakin, prepare a medic. We'll be there in a moment."

He could hear the trooper speaking to her, reassuringly. "It's okay, Kalinda...we're safe now."

* * *

Obi-Wan was dreaming.

_He was sitting, of all places, at a bar on Coruscant that he'd once visited with Qui-gon on one of their missions, drinking a tall, frosted glass of muja juice spiked with Toydarian whiskey. It was a slow night, and the bar was relatively quiet, with only a few other patrons seated at the counter, or playing cards at one of the low tables. Obi-Wan sipped his drink, feeling the cold, sweet liquid trickle down his throat, into his stomach. He cast a glance around; there was no one that he recognized. He sighed, and took another, deeper drink. The alcohol in the beverage added a bite that was not unwelcome, and he felt his fingers tingle with warmth. _

_Suddenly, a man was next to him, a tall man who bore a striking resemblance to his old Master, Qui-gon, dead these long years. Obi-Wan nodded to him, watching out of the corner of his eye as the man sat down on the stool beside him and ordered a small glass of glowing, blue liquid that he downed in one swallow. _

"_I never knew how cruel you could be, Obi-Wan," the man said with Qui-gon's voice, in a pleasant, conversational tone. "Impulsive? At times. Arrogant? Often. But cruel?" He nodded to the bartender, who presented another shot, which he downed again. "Never cruel."_

"_Do I know you?" Obi-Wan said at last, looking at the man who bore Qui-gon's face and voice. _

_The man chuckled, and patted his shoulder as though he were a boy. "My old Padawan," he said with a shake of his head. "Didn't I teach you anything about the ways of the living Force?"_

"_You taught me a great deal, Master," Obi-Wan answered, confused. "Everything I am, I owe to you."_

_Qui-gon shook his head, then gestured to the bartender, who set two glasses down. Qui-gon swallowed his, and looked at Obi-Wan expectantly. After a moment, the younger man tossed the beverage down his throat, nearly choking as the liquid burned its way down to his belly. Qui-gon smiled and nodded. "Everything that you are, you owe to your own abilities, my young Padawan. I helped those abilities along, it's true, but I couldn't make you into something that you are not. Which is why I am so surprised at your recent behavior. Well, perhaps it isn't so recent, is it?"_

_Obi-Wan's tongue felt thick in his mouth. "What are you talking about?" He shook his head as Qui-gon offered him another small glass, and the older man simply shrugged and downed both of them, one after the other. _

"_Kalinda." The name hung in the air between them, and Obi-Wan felt a flash of...something? Fear? Anxiety? _

"_Remorse, I'd guess," Qui-gon said with a nod to Obi-Wan. "That feeling you have now. The one in the pit of your stomach, and the back of your mind, the one that never fades, even when you aren't thinking about her. It's remorse." He signaled for another drink, but studied it a moment before swallowing it. "And guilt, as well."_

"_How do you know?" Obi-Wan said, though it was difficult to get the words out. _

"_Because it's how I felt when Tahl died," Qui-gon replied simply. "Remorse. Regret. That I wasted so much of our time together with my worries and fears over the 'rules.'"_

"_But the Code-"_

"_Is wise and just, and meant for the best interest of everyone, except our hearts," Qui-gon said. "And it is right, for the most part. But some things, some equations, cannot be solved with a few simple words and phrases. Sometimes it takes an action, or a feeling that you follow through on instead of shutting away inside. Which leads me back to my first statement: I never knew how cruel you could be, Obi-Wan."_

_A flare of annoyance rose up within him. "What are you talking about?"_

"_She loves you; she has always loved you, and you do the very worst thing that you can do," Qui-gon answered. "You allow yourself to love her, just enough to keep her affection, but then you pull out the floor from beneath her, and she falls-" he slammed the palm of his hand on the bar for emphasis, causing Obi-Wan and the bartender to jump in surprise. "Again and again and again. You have broken her heart so many times, my young Padawan, I wonder if there's any way for her to put back the pieces."_

_Obi-Wan was silent for a moment. "But Master, she doesn't have to love me. If I cause her so much pain, why doesn't she just...stop?"_

_At this, Qui-gon burst into laughter that boomed throughout the bar, and reverberated in Obi-Wan's head. "Stop loving someone just like that?" He snapped his fingers. "Ah, the impetuousness of youth." He turned to Obi-Wan, and his gaze was serious. "You cannot choose whom you love, Obi-Wan, any more than you could choose the color of your eyes. Nor should you want to, for love is the greatest and most wonderful manifestation of the Force that a Jedi can experience."_

"_But..." Obi-Wan frowned, trying to follow a particularly elusive thought. "You loved Tahl like this, then?"_

_Qui-gon paused, then signaled the bartender, who warily handed him another small glass. However, instead of drinking it, he merely toyed with the rim. "I loved her more than I could ever really express. And I regret every opportunity to tell her so that I let pass."_

_Obi-Wan shook his head. "When she died, though, you were devastated. I've never seen you like that...wouldn't it have been better not to have loved her at all, to save yourself that pain?"_

"_Obi-Wan, I want you to listen," Qui-gon's voice was insistent; he moved their heads very close together. "Don't listen to me, just listen: I would have rather lived through the pain of losing Tahl a thousand times than spent one less minute of our lives together. Her love enriched my life; it sharpened every moment with joy and clarity, and I've never felt so connected to the living Force than when she was in my arms. And you are a damn fool if you abandon that which you have." He pulled back, and raised his drink. "To love."_

_Obi-Wan raised his own glass, his head spinning. "To love."_


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Chapter Eleven**_  
_

_There is no death, there is the Force..._

Her thoughts were addled, roiling around in her head like an ion storm; shapeless, formless, without beginning or end. Memory and dream coalesced, and she could not be sure if she was awake or asleep. Eventually, she became aware of voices around her; though she couldn't make any of them out, she tried to listen, to figure out why she felt so...strange. As she listened, her focus sharpened, and her thoughts became more orderly, and the dreams faded while the memories resurfaced.

_Asajj Ventress held me captive, _she thought, _and she nearly killed me. I escaped...no, _we _escaped, Stonewall and I. But how? _She tried to open her eyes, but they wouldn't respond to her brain's commands, which she found frustrating. Finally, she gave up, and focused again on the voices that were above her.

"...is she?"

"Still unconscious."

"Her Force presence is strong."

"Yes. That's the only thing in this situation that doesn't have me concerned."

She recognized the voices, though she couldn't quite match them to any of the faces that she'd seen in her dreams or memories. _I must try to open my eyes, _she thought. _I need to know what is happening, and what has happened._

"So..."

"Look."

"She's waking?"

There was suddenly a presence, very close to her, and a voice so familiar that it might have been her own. It spoke quietly, and she felt warm breath on her cheek. "Kalinda? Kali? It's Obi-Wan."

_Obi-Wan? _The name struck a chord within her. The other name..._her _name. It was a rope, thrown down to her in the darkness; Obi-Wan's voice was the light shining down, showing her the way. She swallowed. Her eyelids fluttered, then opened.

She was in a small room, a cabin on a ship, perhaps, and two men were standing over her. Well, one was standing - she recognized Anakin Skywalker - and the other, Obi-Wan, was kneeling beside her. He looked terrified.

A faint smile crept onto her face at his expression. "What's wrong?" The words were barely a whisper, and her voice sounded foreign in her ears.

"I'm just...going to tell Stonewall that she's okay." Anakin's voice faded as he left the room, but she hardly noticed.

"Are you...how are you?" Obi-Wan asked, peering at her anxiously.

She managed a shrug, then winced at the pain that blossomed in her shoulders. "Okay. Though I feel like I lost a fight with a gang of Hutts." She lifted a hand, and ran her fingers through his beard. "I didn't mean that about the animal," she added. He looked confused, and she sighed. "When I said that your beard looked like a small animal was attached to your face...I didn't mean it. It's quite attractive, actually."

He chuckled. "Forgiven and forgotten, Kali."

Nodding, she glanced around the room. "Where are we?"

"Aboard the _Resolute,_" Obi-Wan replied, leaning back a little. "Heading for Coruscant. We should be there by tomorrow evening. You have an appointment with one of the Healers."

Something Anakin had said jolted her memory. "Stonewall! Is he...?"

"He's fine. He was a little chilly when I picked you two up, but there was hardly a scratch on his armor." Obi-Wan paused. "He will be glad to know that you are awake at last."

"He's one of the good ones," she replied. "He saved my life. I'm not sure what I would have done without him."

"I would have come for you, anyway." Obi-Wan's voice was soft, serious; she looked at him curiously. "I will always come for you."

She made no response for a moment, only looked away again. Finally, she turned back to him. "And what happened to Asajj?"

Obi-Wan let out a sigh. "She managed to escape-again. She had a third escape pod, as well as a contact nearby that we didn't notice. They jumped to hyperspace while we were rescuing you and Stonewall."

Kali nodded slowly. "She is an interesting woman. Brutal, but fascinating."

"If you say so."

She smiled at him. "Thank you for coming to my rescue. Though I must admit, I'm surprised that they let you-it seems like they would have preferred that you stayed out of anything that involved me." His eyes shifted to one side, and she felt a broad grin split her face. "You didn't?"

"What else was I supposed to do?"

"You disobeyed the Jedi Council? For me?" She laughed outright. "Are you crazy?"

"I certainly hope not," he replied, his voice gruff. "Though I'm sure that Master Windu will think otherwise."

"What Mace Windu thinks about anything is a mystery to me," she replied. "And I was his Padawan for years."

He made no reply, instead he put his hand over hers. "How are you, really?"

"Fine," she answered, looking at him curiously. "I'm fine." There was a pregnant pause, then she raised her brow at him. "How are _you_?"

"Not so well."

She made no response, only waited for him to elaborate.

"I had the strangest dream the other night," he continued, his free hand absently stroking his beard. "Qui-Gon gave me some advice. And got me very, very drunk."

Kali let out a chuckle. "Did he really? What did he say?"

"He said that I was cruel to you, that I had been so for a very long time, and that I was-am-foolish for not...for hurting you like I have." Obi-Wan studied her; at his words, Kali's face had turned to smooth, impassive stone, and she was staring at their hands intertwined atop the sheet. He swallowed thickly and continued. "He told me that his only regret with Tahl was that he didn't admit his love for her sooner, and that the time they had together was so short."

"He was a wise man," she said, her voice quiet.

"It was just a dream," he went on. "But...have I?"

"Have you what?"

"Been cruel to you?" His eyes sought hers, and she looked at him for a moment.

"I'm not sure." She smiled faintly as he exhaled in annoyance, and put her other hand on top of his. "What I mean is, I have loved you unconditionally for as long as I've known you. If anyone had ever asked me...no, I would have said no. You've never been cruel, only honest, in your own way. It is your nature to be changeable, and I love you for it."

"Qui-Gon seemed to feel differently."

"From a certain point of view," she replied. "I guess one might say that you haven't treated me fairly. But I'm just as much at fault; I know what you think, and what the Code dictates, and I continue to care for you, regardless." She gave a wry smile. "Neither one of us has been very fair to the other, I suppose-"

"Kalinda," he said suddenly, gripping her hands, his eyes fixed on hers. "What I'm getting at is that I've been blind. I've wasted so much of our time...you were right. You were always right. I feel like a fool for not seeing it, and I want to make it right. I want to spend as much time by your side as you'll allow. If you'll have me, that is, if it's not too late."

Her head tilted down, her face was shadowed as she freed one of her hands and wiped at her eyes. Then she looked back at him, and in that moment, he looked to her so much like the gentle, clumsy boy she had fallen in love with so many years ago. A sense of absolute joy flooded her, and the Force filled her entire body, her heart, her mind, until she was certain that she would shatter. She smiled at him, put her hand on his face. "It's never too late, Ben."

* * *

"You failed in your mission, then?"

Asajj lowered her eyes, her cheeks burning. "Yes, Master. The Jedi escaped, and I was unable to learn about her shielding technique." She braced herself for the sharp reprimand that was coming, but Dooku's image only flickered as he regarded her. _Surely he will punish me, _she thought. _I failed in a __most important task...punishment is inevitable. Sith do not fail._

Finally, he seemed to shrug. "It matters not. We have other ways of extracting information. I am sending you the coordinates for your next assignment-"

"But Master," she interrupted. "Sith do not fail. I failed...are you going to punish me?"

"You are no Sith, child," was his casual rebuff. "And never interrupt me again, or it will be the last thing that you do...Now, your mission." He continued to speak, but Asajj barely heard him, her thoughts dwelling instead on the words of her former prisoner.

_I'd bet anything that you like that your beloved Masters would just as soon toss you into a lava pit than keep you as a true apprentice. _

Anger filled her, and she made a silent vow to herself: _I will make her pay for casting doubt upon my purpose with her Jedi tricks._

* * *

It was late – or early – and the _Resolute_ was quiet. After a few inquiries, Kalinda had learned Stonewall's location, and as soon as she was able, she sought him out in the mess hall.

At first she didn't see the clone, so she took a moment to stand by the row of wide windows that looked onto space, and tried to remember what she could about her and Stone's spacewalk. Cold, she recalled, and more than a little terrifying, but she was thankful that they'd gotten to safety in the end.

"I'm glad to see you on your feet, General." Stonewall's voice startled her out of her thoughts; turning, she saw the trooper standing at attention, saluting her from the far corner of the room.

She bit back the urge to roll her eyes at his formality. _I think we've moved past that point, anyway. _Instead, she chuckled and waved him over. "Thank you, Stone. And at ease, for goodness' sake."

After a moment of hesitation he stepped across the floor to her; when he reached her side, he removed his helmet to mop some of the sweat off of his brow, cutting his eyes to her again in the manner of someone who wanted to speak, but was unable to find the words. She wondered if he was still concerned about her, so she smiled at him again.

"I see you've gotten some...additional duties." She nodded to the minuscule brush that he was using to scrub the mess hall floor.

The trooper shrugged. "Nothing too bad. Mostly cleaning...and lots of drills. Sir."

"Never a dull moment?"

"Not really," he answered, meeting her eyes briefly before he added: "How are you feeling?"

Kali paused, considering. Of course, he meant physically. There was no way that he was aware of the emotional turmoil she'd undergone during the mission; he was asking after her health, only. Finally she nodded. "Well enough," she said. "A little tired, but nothing too bad. No lasting damage was done."

She thought that she saw relief in his eyes, thus confirming her suspicions. In any case, his concern was touching "Glad to hear it, sir."

"Tomorrow, I'm going to speak with Commander Cody," she added, lifting a brow at him. "And when we reach Coruscant, I'm going to speak with the Council. I think that you deserve a promotion. After all, I'm not sure I'd be alive if it weren't for you, Stone."

His brow furrowed. "I was reckless and could have - should have, more likely - gotten killed."

Kali put a hand on his arm. "But it was thanks to you that the other Jedi were able to find me," she replied. "And you destroyed Asajj's means of holding me captive, _and _managed to strike a blow on her, which is no mean feat." Her dark eyes met his. "I wouldn't be standing here if it weren't for your bravery, Stone. Thank you."

He didn't speak for a moment, but after taking a breath, he nodded curtly.

She removed her hand and turned to go, pausing at the door to the mess hall to glance back at him. "I was thinking...I think that I'd like to take on other missions, when I'm fully healed. But I'll need someone by my side that I can trust. Someone brave, and a bit reckless...what do you say, Stone? Would you be up for it?"

"Absolutely, General," he said, standing at attention. "It would be a great honor to serve at your side again."

In response, she nodded once and slipped out of the room silently.

* * *

The trip back to Coruscant was delayed several days, due to an unexpected shipment of bacta that they were asked to pick up and drop off, but they made it, eventually. And once more, Kalinda found herself standing in the Council chambers, though this time, Obi-Wan was at her side. Again, only Yoda and Mace Windu were present.

Kali's old Master spoke first, after regarding them for a several, long minutes. "Kalinda, your report said that Ventress was unable to extract any information from you. This is correct?"

She nodded.

Mace paused as though waiting for her to elaborate, but she said nothing, merely waited for him to speak again. After a moment, he did. "And you are still able to perform this, shielding technique?"

Again, she nodded, but made no comment. _With you, Master, _she thought pointedly. _The less I say, the better. _His eyebrow raised a fraction of an inch, but he let it pass, instead turning to Obi-Wan.

"General Kenobi; you disobeyed a direct order from this Council, and we are issuing a formal reprimand for your behavior. What have you to say for yourself?"

"Masters," Obi-Wan said. "I take full responsibility for my actions; I recognize that I acted against your orders, but I feel that my actions were the will of the Force, and that the Force guided me to rescue Kalinda." He had already told Yoda, privately, of his dream, though the wizened Master had merely listened without comment. Even now, the diminutive Jedi was watching him carefully.

Mace glanced at Yoda, then back to the two Jedi who stood before him. Sensing an opportunity, Kalinda cleared her throat.

"You have something to add, Kalinda?"

"I do. Masters, the shielding technique could be a game-changer for the Jedi. The potential is boundless...I think that I should teach this method to other Jedi in the field," her tone was even, though it was not difficult to discern the hopeful tinge to her words.

"I meant in regards to General Kenobi's actions."

"He did what he felt was right," Kali replied, meeting Mace's eyes. "As he always does. As, I'm sure, he will continue to do. Quite frankly, I find it difficult to agree with the idea of a reprimand when I probably wouldn't be standing here without his 'reckless' actions."

She and Mace shared a look that was equally frustrated and respectful, until Master Yoda spoke. "Defied the Council, you have before, Obi-Wan, though sound, your judgment usually is. But an urgency, I sensed in you, yes? A desire? Hmmm? Too long at war, have you been. Need rest, you do. Your counsel, needed here for a time, I think."

He ignored Mace's incredulous glance and continued, his eyes on Kalinda. "Train the others, you shall, in this tactic. Begin here, you should. One pebble thrown into a pool, many ripples it makes." He nodded to Master Windu, who sighed.

"Very well. Obi-Wan, you are _requested _by the Council to remain on Coruscant on rest leave for a period of one month. And Kalinda, once you are fully healed, you are to begin training others in this shielding technique. Start with some of the older Padawans; we'll bring them in from the field so they can learn in a controlled environment here, and then, perhaps, if you are successful, you can begin training other Knights who are in the field." He nodded to them, which was their signal to leave. Obi-Wan turned to go, but Kalinda remained.

"Another question, have you?" Yoda's voice was curious.

"The trooper that...accompanied me to Ventress' ship," she began, hesitating. "Well, if I'm going to be in the field-eventually-and if I'm going to be assigned a group of soldiers...I formally request Stonewall to be promoted to the rank of Captain, and assigned to me when I'm given further missions. He has proven himself capable and a fast learner."

Mace raised his eyebrows. "You presume a great deal in that statement, my former Padawan."

She nodded. "And I accept that things might not work out so. But I think they will. And in any case, it doesn't hurt to try and think ahead, does it?"

"Very well." Mace's voice was punctuated by a sigh. "You were going to be put on field duty, anyway, so you may as well have a soldier that has worked with you at your side."

Kalinda grinned, gave a bow, and slipped out of the room beside Obi-Wan.

The moment the door closed behind them she nudged his arm affectionately. "Sorry to steal one of your men, but I think that life has just gotten a lot more interesting for Stonewall."

"What was that all about?" Obi-Wan replied after a chuckle. "It seemed like you and Mace were having a silent debate."

She shrugged. "I may not understand why he does anything, but I did learn that sometimes, if the time is right, you can get him to agree to something he doesn't really care about, if only to shut you up."

Obi-Wan shook his head and smiled down at her. "Remind me never to underestimate you again."

**The End**

* * *

_Like Stonewall? Check out_ Warning Signs_ to see this fic told from his POV. _

_Following that, it's choose your own adventure time:_

_If you like Kali/Obi, jump on over to _Bomb In A Birdcage_._

_If you think that Stonewall's a pretty cool guy, and like clone/Jedi pairings, take a gander at _All Or Nothing.

_Either way, thanks for reading! May the Force be with you!_


End file.
